Luke Littler has made a candid admission after his shock early exit in Brighton, revealing he “did not care” following a difficult week on and off the oche.
The 19-year-old star, known as “The Nuke,” suffered a surprise quarter-final defeat to Stephen Bunting during the latest Premier League Darts night.
The loss came just days after Littler was caught up in a heated on-stage row with Gian van Veen in Manchester — an incident that appears to have taken its toll.
Despite arriving in Brighton at the top of the Premier League standings, the world No.1 admitted he was not mentally ready to compete and struggled from the moment he stepped on stage.
Reflecting on the night, Littler said: “Thursday night didn’t go to plan. I had the worst average.
“I knew it was pretty bad even when I got on stage. I didn’t want to be there. I just couldn’t be bothered.
“I think I only had about 18 hours at home. I didn’t get much time to practise. Obviously I practised before the game but it didn’t go to plan.”
In the aftermath of his clash with Van Veen, Littler travelled overseas with his girlfriend Faith and his family, taking time away over the Easter weekend in an effort to reset after the controversy.
The break allowed the teenage sensation to switch off, particularly after surprising fans by losing his cool during the Manchester encounter.
However, Littler has since hit back at Van Veen, who criticised him for gesturing towards the crowd after a missed match dart.
Speaking to Online Darts, Littler once again defended his actions and offered a detailed explanation of what happened from his perspective.
“From my point of view, I am looking up at the TV thinking he is not going to miss,” he said.
“Even if he gets a shot at the bull, Gian is one of the best bull hitters in the game.
“You know if he is on a 124 or 128 he will just ping the bull. But when he came inside the double 15, I looked up and had a drink of my water.
“I did a little fist pump towards Faith and her dad. The fans were all screaming, so then I was like ‘come on’ to them and the whole arena.
“There was no need for Gian to look back and stare at me. He still has a dart in hand, so he should step back, look at the floor, then throw his last dart.
“He is staring at me. I did not do it to him. I did it to Faith and her dad, the whole crowd.
“There is no need for him to be staring when he has a dart left to throw to set up.
“What other people didn’t see was as I walked back round, I am still looking that way and he has put his darts down.
“So he has put his darts on the table but nobody sees that.”
Littler’s honest reflection highlights just how much the off-stage drama affected his mindset — with the focus now on whether he can reset and bounce back in the coming Premier League nights.
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