Luke Littler forced to speak out after ‘disrespectful’ incident during Australian Darts Masters match
Luke Littler, the 18-year-old darts prodigy and 2025 PDC World Champion, was forced to address accusations of disrespectful behavior during his first-round match at the Australian Darts Masters in Wollongong on August 8, 2025, after a controversial decision in a tense 6-5 victory over New Zealand’s Haupai Puha. In the 10th leg, with 291 points remaining and a 5-4 lead, Littler hit two treble 20s but deliberately threw a single one to set up a 170 “Big Fish” checkout instead of aiming for a 180, a move that sparked outrage among fans and former world champion Rob Cross, per SPORTbible and sport-fury.com.
The crowd, expecting a maximum, was stunned when Littler missed the bullseye, allowing Puha to level the match. Littler won the deciding leg with a 13-dart break, but his choice drew sharp criticism. Cross labeled it “disrespectful,” arguing it undermined the event’s integrity, and called for PDC action, per sport-fury.com. On X, @Wim_NL180 wrote, “Single 1 on 171 on purpose to leave 170 is just disrespectful towards your opponent imo,” while @danstapleton89 noted, “Haupai is a tour card holder and this comp will mean a lot to him,” per Express.co.uk. Others, like @DartsInsider, defended Littler, suggesting it was confidence in his ability to entertain, per SPORTbible.
In his post-match interview with Online Darts, Littler explained, “I don’t even know—I think it’s just for myself. Obviously, at that point, I was 5-4 up. Maybe I should have tried hitting the 180 because I knew Haupai had the darts for the last leg. But I just thought I’d try and leave it and finish it,” per SPORTbible. He admitted minimal preparation due to jet lag, telling Sky Sports, “Not much practice has been put in, body clock, not sleeping, it has an effect.” Despite the scare, Littler advanced, defeating Damon Heta 6-3, Stephen Bunting 7-4, and Mike De Decker 8-4 in the final to claim the £60,000 title with a 103.2 average, per Sky Sports.
The controversy persisted, with Sky Sports announcer Russ Bray rebuking Littler’s complaints about crowd heckling, saying, “Woe is you, Luke. Stop moaning and act like a world champion,” per Express.co.uk (August 9, 2025). Littler’s response to fans calling him “washed” and “rubbish” during the final— “Not sure what he meant, obviously I’m washed but I just won,” per @DartsNow_—further fueled debate, per The Sun. As Littler prepares for the New Zealand Darts Masters against Jonny Clayton, his ability to channel criticism, as shown in his six 2025 titles, suggests resilience amid scrutiny.
