Luke Littler, 17, hits back at Van Gerwen after darts legend’s ‘big boy’ taunts
LUKE LITTLER hit back at Michael van Gerwen’s taunts by vowing: I can handle the Premier League big boys.
The Warrington sensation, 17, heads into his Prem debut in Cardiff tomorrow.
PALuke Littler insists he is ready for Premier League Darts[/caption]
PDC DartsMichael Van Gerwen warned the teenager that ‘there cannot be mercy’ at the top level[/caption]
Three-time world champion MVG was asked if he will help protect the youngster.
But the Dutchman, 34, replied: “Of course not. Welcome to the big boys. Those days have gone. He’s not a youth player any more.
“Now you’ve got to battle against each other on the stage, there cannot be any mercy.
“You have to fight for every leg, every game. Everyone plays for themselves.”
When told of the jibe, Littler said: “Surely, I’m one of them now! I’ve joined them in the big boys’ league. I know what’s in store. I can handle it all myself.
“If not, I’ll speak to my dad and manager, if it all goes wrong.
“But I’m grown up enough to know what’s going to happen.
“This is what I signed up for — to play with the best of the best. I’ve got to somehow beat them every week.”
Littler already proved he can do that. Since his emergence at Ally Pally, he has beaten five of his seven Prem rivals — Van Gerwen, Luke Humphries, Nathan Aspinall, Gerwyn Price (twice) and Rob Cross.
Those wins came across three events and included a nine-darter against Aspinall at the Bahrain Darts Masters, which Littler won.
He has yet to play Michael Smith and Peter Wright.
Littler’s Prem opener is a rerun of the World Darts Championship final between him and world No 1 Humphries, who lifted the Sid Waddell Trophy that night.
And Littler aims to get into the heads of his rivals during the 17-week competition.
The world No 31 said: “I know I can beat anyone when I’m on it.
“I’ve seen quite a few people say, ‘Will pressure get to him?’ But I just do what I do best. Throw my darts at the board.”
ORDER OF PLAY (quarter-finals, best of 11 legs): Wright v Cross, Price v Aspinall, Van Gerwen v Smith, Littler v Humphries.
