Luke Littler Reflects on Heated Exchange with Ricardo Pietreczko Ahead of Belgian Darts Open
Luke Littler will step onto the Belgian Darts Open stage this weekend, carrying fond memories of his maiden PDC European Tour title—and one of his first on-stage disputes.
Fresh off his UK Open triumph, the 18-year-old prodigy enters the tournament brimming with confidence. But his return to Wieze will also revive memories of last year’s fiery semi-final clash with Ricardo Pietreczko.
The Heated Exchange: Littler vs. Pietreczko
Littler comfortably defeated Pietreczko 7-3 to book his place in the 2024 final, but the German was clearly rattled by the teenager’s self-assured playing style. After Littler sealed victory with his signature double 10 checkout, tensions boiled over as Pietreczko aggressively confronted him.
Remaining calm and composed, Littler simply gestured toward the crowd in confusion before telling Pietreczko—nicknamed “Pikachu”—to “get out” as he walked off stage.
Still puzzled by the incident, Littler later wrote on Facebook:
“No idea what I did wrong, no idea what he said. He said something then don’t do it again.”
Was It Littler’s Flair That Provoked Pietreczko?
Speculation arose that Pietreczko took offense to Littler’s bold checkout attempts. During the match, Littler attempted a 90 checkout with a tops-to-bullseye route and later tried an unorthodox 147 finish, aiming for triple 19, double 20, and bullseye—though he missed his second dart.
Pietreczko later accused Littler of arrogance, writing on Instagram:
“I really appreciated him being able to play a game like that at such an age, but I hope his arrogance punishes him.”
Belgian Darts Open: 2025 Matchups
Littler kicks off his title defense on Saturday night against Ryan Searle, while Pietreczko faces Dave Chisnall.
Elsewhere in the second round, Belgium’s Mike De Decker takes on Luke Humphries in a rematch of their 2024 World Grand Prix final, Jonny Clayton faces Wessel Nijman, and Gerwyn Price meets Gian van Veen.
Will Littler dominate in Belgium once again?
