Luke Littler broke down in tears after winning his second Premier League Darts title, admitting that he considered walking away following an incident with Gian van Veen in Manchester
Luke Humphries consoled rival Luke Littler(Image: WM Sport Media/Getty Images)
Wayne Mardle has hailed ‘classy’ Luke Humphries after he consoled an emotional Luke Littler following their Premier League Darts final clash. Littler, 19, won his second Premier League title after beating Humphries 11-10 in a dramatic final at the O2 Arena in London.
After his victory, the teenager broke down in tears and revealed in a post-game interview that he’d considered quitting the competition. Littler suffered backlash following a bust-up with Gian van Veen in Manchester last month, as he called the Dutchman a ‘cry baby’.
Despite losing, Humphries went over to Littler and gave him a hug when he looked emotional. Sky Sports pundit Mardle hailed: “What has to be said is Luke Humphries coming over and giving him a hug there, that is the classiest thing you will see this evening.
“That’s a proper champion. Luke Humphries has just been beaten in a final he so wanted to win, and he still had the heart to do that to Luke Littler. Full credit to him there, what a champion.”
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Mardle added: “There’s more that goes on in a Premier League than just showing up week after week. It’s a rollercoaster for every player; if you’re struggling to win games, it’s a rollercoaster, if you’re doing alright, it’s a rollercoaster.
“Because it lasts so long it is tough. We know as jobs go there are worse jobs, we’re not saying that. But for a darts player, it’s an endurance test.
This is a culmination, the effort that goes into it week after week after week, that’s what’s come out tonight in Luke Littler. And he was inconsolable. It’s fair enough.
“We’ve seen it before with Gerwyn Price threatening to pull out and Phil Taylor and with other players. It is not a rarity for the Premier League to become too much. Week after week it is an endurance test.
“Sometimes you can feel down and if you feel down, you become mentally weaker. We know how strong Luke Littler is mentally but when you are feeling like you’re public enemy number one, you can feel lke you on’t want to turn up, but he did turn up and this is now the by-product of turning up.”
Humphries started the final stronger and led 6-2 before Littler turned it around to go 9-4 in front. But Humphries’ response made it a last-leg decider which Littler edged.
“It’s been a rollercoaster,” the 19-year-old said. “The first four weeks at the bottom, on the fifth night won my first night. I had to pick myself up. I think I went to Brighton and had a 79 average. It was tough, I was down bad. I’m here with the trophy.
“After Brighton I think I came off stage and the incident in Manchester, I was sat at home saying to Faith (his partner), ‘I don’t want to do it anymore, just the crowd every week’. I said to her, ‘I’m down bad’.”
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