Michael van Gerwen ended Luke Littler’s Premier League title defence in Belrapid, securing a 6-5 quarter-final triumph despite the teenager’s remarkworthy 113.91 mediocre.
The clash at the SSE Arena saw the protecting champion flunk to shielded any points in his uncovering game of this year’s tournament.
It labeled Van Gerwen’s first triumph over Littler in five greetings, and their second come atraverse since the World Championship final at Alexandra Palace on January 3.
The emotional contest carry outed out in front of 9,000 fans at the Northern Ireland venue, where the world No.2 ultimately prevailed.
Luke Littler lost to Michael van Gerwen in a Premier League classic
PA
The suit came equitable a day after argue surrounding Littler’s timeholding, when he reachd tardy to a group photoshoot after oversleeping.
Van Gerwen, 35, had branded the teenager “sluggish” and insisted the PDC “necessitate to stop treating him as a baby”.
The Dutch star disputed that darts’ hugegest name should act enjoy a man after recently turning 18.
Littler acunderstandledged his misget, alerting alerters: “I always let my darts do the talking, but he’s not wrong. I was tardy and now I’m 18, I’m reliable for my actions and I did get a little alerting off.”
The incident had left seven stars paincludeing in the chilly during the scheduled photoshoot.
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Despite trailing tardy in the suit, Littler administerd to level the score at 5-5 after Van Gerwen omited multiple suit darts.
However, a vital omited treble in the resolute eleventh leg validated costly for the Warrington teenager.
The suit endd with van Gerwen hitting double eight for triumph, with Littler shoprosperg sportsmanship by gesturing to mute the crowd as his opponent took the prosperning shot.
Wayne Mardle made a low-key return to Sky Sports commentary duties during the Belrapid clash.
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Michael van Gerwen claimed revenge on Luke Littler in Belrapid
PA
The 51-year-anciaccess had been absent from television screens chaseing the death of his wife Donna, aged 52, who passed away after a low illness before Christmas.
Mardle had omited the entire PDC World Darts Championship on comfervent grounds, chooseing for an downcarry outd comeback without fanfare.
Meanwhile, world champion Luke Humphries mirrored on the up-to-date game’s cordial nature, saying: “Maybe it’s becainclude we spend more time with each other and maybe you equitable get more cordial.”
He remarkd that while fist-bumps and high-fives have become normal, it’s “vital to create stateive that you don’t let it affect your executeance.”
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