Littler 'wanted to beat' Price on home soil

BBC News

21-03-2025

Luke Littler says he wanted the chance to play Gerwyn Price in Cardiff after the Welshman called him unstoppable.Littler, 18, was victorious at Cardiff's Utilita Arena on night seven of the Premier League in an incredible final with Michael van Gerwen where 'the Nuke' hit a nine-dart finish.Price was beaten 6-5 by Rob Cross in his quarter-final, denying the Welsh crowd of seeing a semi-final fixture between their hometown hero and the current world champion.Speaking after his victory, Littler says he was watching Price's quarter-final with the hopes of beating 'the Iceman' in the Welsh capital."He said some very nice things (about me)," said Littler.
"After my game, obviously I wanted Gerwyn to win and try and beat him on home soil."After Price's victory over Littler in Nottingham last week, the former world champion said Littler would only keep improving."He's the best player in the world and he's going to be for some years," said Price."I think he will beat Phil Taylor's record of 16 world titles. There's nobody at the PDC at the minute that will stop him - only the younger generation, JDC, can stop him."We can't stop him - he will only get better and better."Littler has not beaten Price in their last six contests, and was booed by the crowd in his quarter-final.However, Littler was pleased to have won over the Cardiff crowd by the end of the night with his sensational performance in the final."I got a few boos on the walk-on in my first game, but that's bound to happen," he added."You've just got to focus - hit the 180s, they'll be with you; hit the high checkouts and they'll be with you."I think [the crowd was flat] after Gerwyn went out, but I was playing really well and in the final, they were on my side."It will feel very different when the home favourite goes out in the first match, but then the crowd have got choices to make on who to support, and luckily they supported me tonight."
'I didn't realise it was in'
Littler's stunning nine-dart finish in the final came after the defending Premier League champion said he was disappointed not to have hit one two weeks ago in Brighton.Luke Humphries and Cross both hit nine-darters that night, with Littler taking the nightly win."I didn't realise it was in," said Littler."Obviously the crowd went berserk, Huw [Ware, match referee] didn't shout it, but when he shouted it, I finally realised and gave it the big celebration."Littler says 2025 is "hopefully" the year in which he breaks the record for the most nine-darters in a calendar year.The current record is at four, which Littler jointly holds with van Gerwen, who achieved the feat in 2016 and 2019."It's taken me a few months to hit one of them, and now I've got my second," said Littler."You know when it's almost coming. The hardest thing is the next treble after you've hit a 180."But when you get it, then you feel up for it."