Latest news with #MikeDeDecker
Daily Mail
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Luke Littler hits back at group of hecklers after winning the Australian Darts Masters as he says his 'darts did the talking'
Luke Littler had some choice words for a group of hecklers that tried and failed to put him off during his Australian Darts Masters triumph over the weekend. World champion Littler added another title to his growing list with an 8-4 victory over Mike De Decker in the final. A year after finishing runner-up following an 8-1 humbling by Gerwyn Price, the reigning world champion and World Matchplay winner had too much for the Belgian debutant. The 18-year-old had to deal with jeers from the crowd throughout the tournament but it certainly did not impact his performance. Speaking in the wake of his victory, he said: 'there was a group to my right… every time I didn't hit a treble they were shouting 'rubbish, rubbish'. 'Someone even said I was washed. Not sure what he meant, obviously I'm 'washed' but I just won. The darts did the talking.' The darts sensation then went on to explain how he handles negative crowd reactions when they come. 'The first time I hear it, I'll react, but then I let it go,' he said. I just focus on my darts and let them do the talking. 'Nobody has taught me how to deal with it. You're on stage alone, nobody else can help you. You just get on with it.' Littler swept aside home favourite Damon Heta 6-3 in the last eight and top seed Stephen Bunting 7-4 in the semis. 'He needs to retire because it's not fun any more,' De Decker joked after the defeat.
The Sun
20 hours ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Luke Littler left perplexed by fan's bizarre jibe at Australian Darts Masters
LUKE LITTLER has learned to block out the haters and hecklers, saying: I just let my darts do the talking. The Nuke is heading to Auckland for part two of his Down Under jaunt this summer. 5 5 The 18-year-old banked £30,000 on Saturday when he beat Belgian thrower Mike De Decker 8-4 in the final of the Australian Darts Masters in Wollongong. It was his fourth success on the World Series of Darts circuit and was equally impressive given that he had not practised ahead of this 21,000-mile round trip. Every time he failed to hit a treble during the evening's three games, a group of locals shouted out 'rubbish, rubbish' and someone even bizarrely said he was 'washed'. This comment perplexed Littler but it is believed to mean he is supposed to be washed-up and not as good as he used to – which is clearly not the case. The more he wins, the more he will be targeted by irate punters but even for someone so young, he has learned to rise above it all. There have been times in Germany where he has been singled out and he was asked if he had gotten used to dealing with a portion of the crowd being on his back. Littler, in his second season as a pro, said: 'For myself, the first time I hear it, I will obviously do something, but then I will let it go by. 'Just do my darts. Let the darts do the talking. 'No-one has taught me how to deal with much. I just get on with things. You are on stage alone. 'No-one else is with you. No-one else is going to help you unless it's a few guys from the crowd. Yeah, you have just got to get on with it.' Littler – who is on the two-week trip with new girlfriend Faith – is in good form and in a good mood, telling his rivals that his confidence is sky high. No-one else is with you. No-one else is going to help you unless it's a few guys from the crowd. Yeah, you have just got to get on with it. Luke Littler on dealing hecklers while on the stage An early-morning flight to Kiwi country means shifting his body clock by another two hours – he has already said he struggles with jetlag on the other side of the world. Last year, the Warrington teen was defeated in a last-leg decider 7-6 by world No.1 Luke Humphries in the semi-finals at the Globox Arena in Hamilton. Littler, the newly-crowned World Matchplay champion, says he has a policy of practising hard for the big TV events but for the smaller ones, he will simply rock up and do his thing. 5 The world No.2 said: 'I'm very happy. My debut last year in Australia didn't go to plan. But second time lucky. 'I want to be winning things. We look to New Zealand next week. 'I will enjoy this. But then it's an early flight again. An extra two hours ahead – so I will definitely be needing some sleep. 'It's only my second time coming to New Zealand. I didn't do much last year. 'We can make the most of four to five days and then once it comes to Friday that is when the darts starts again. 'I'm feeling confident. This is the most confident I have felt in a very long time. 'For myself I know how much I will practise, how much I have been doing. 'But yeah I practised really well for the World Matchplay and won it. I think I will practise for the big ones. 'As a player, you are on stage for a long time. You practise leading up to it and when you are on stage, you gain that confidence. 'You get warmer and you find those four or five gears.'
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Rangers mad Aussie darts star reveals Ibrox obsession and the anthem he walks out to
Rangers-mad Brandon Weening was left feeling blue after being frozen-out by Mike De Decker. But the Australian darts star is hoping a trip across the globe to see an Old Firm game against Celtic could help make up for his loss. Weening has become a massive supporter of Rangers through a Scots pal and walked into the arena to the tune of Penny Arcade, a well-known song heard at Ibrox. READ MORE: Mystery 'signing' spotted arriving at Rangers as social media sleuths uncover his true identity READ MORE: Rangers potential Champions League rivals Club Brugge given damning verdict by Belgian expert The Python was choked by the Belgian ace as he lost the first-round game 6-2, but the Geelong star still enjoyed his experience facing one of the PDC elite in his own backyard before he explained the roots of his Rangers affection after the match. Weening revealed: 'I'm a big gamer. I met a guy from Scotland and we became really good friends. He got me to watch a Rangers game with him once and I just got the Rangers bug. It was back during lockdown. That's how I became a Rangers guy and I'm loving it. I fix my sleep schedule and I'm normally waking up at about 3am to watch them now. It depends on what time they start. 'I would love to watch an Old Firm there regardless of the result. 100 per cent. Obviously, I would want to see Rangers win, but regardless of the result, I would love to go to Ibrox and watch an Old Firm or any match.' Weening confirmed his walk-on was inspired by the tune ringing out at Ibrox as he added: '100 per cent. I know Roy Orbison did a version of it. I don't like that version. Then I heard the Sammy King version of it and loved it.' In the end, De Decker managed to get the job done despite suffering from cold hands on the stage in Wollongong. He said: 'It's been fun coming to Australia. It was less fun being on stage because it's a bit colder. I was blowing my hands the whole game. When my hands are cold, I don't have any grip on the darts. so normally my darts stick up to upright and now they were going a bit flat. It just doesn't feel well. 'That's why I was blowing the whole game as well, trying to get them warm, but it wasn't really working. I'll probably wash my hands with really hot water before I have to next go on stage. Maybe that helps. It's not really cold outside. In Australia they call it winter, but it's still 20 degrees. So it's not that it's winter.' De Decker is delighted to be part of the World Series having turned down an earlier invitation to play in Holland and also being outspoken over his Premier League omission. He admitted some pressure as he said: 'Yeah, a little bit. As well with all the interviews I did after the line-up of the Premier League and declining the one in Holland. I didn't expect getting a call-up for this and for New Zealand, so it was a nice surprise. 'It's nice to get the recognition of what you did as well. If I didn't win the Grand Prix last year, I wouldn't be in these events.'
The Guardian
a day ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Luke Littler lights up Wollongong with Australian Darts Masters victory
World champion Luke Littler demonstrated his phenomenal teenage talent in Wollongong by winning the star-studded Australian Darts Masters. A year after being humbled in the final of the biggest invitation event to be played in Australia, the 18-year-old this time made no mistake, winning all three of his matches convincingly on Saturday night to lift yet another big title. He also crushed Damon Heta's homecoming dream as he hammered Australia's top player, the world No 10, in the quarter-finals. After defeating Heta 6-3 in the last eight and Stephen Bunting 7-4 in the semis, Littler outplayed Belgian Mike de Decker to win the final 8-4. In 2024, Littler had lost in the showdown 8-1 to former world champ Gerwyn Price, so was determined to put on a show for his Australian fans on his second visit. 'It feels very good. It's another one I can tick off,' Littler said after winning a World Series event for the first time in six attempts this year. 'I played very well tonight. I didn't play so well last night in the first round but tonight is when it really matters. 'It's not gone to plan this year in the World Series but there are plenty of opportunities to win and I've finally picked one up,' added Littler, who's been in superlative form in other events, particularly with his victories in the Premier League and recent World Matchplay. Now he's after a trans-Tasman double when he moves on to the New Zealand Darts Masters. 'A few days off and then Auckland, I can't wait,' he said of next weekend's event. The frightening thing for his opponents is that Littler prevailed at the WIN Sports and Entertainments Centre without ever quite hitting his very best form. Perth ace Heta, who had held high hopes of toppling Littler after averaging nearly 110 in his first-round match on Friday, just couldn't hit those heights again, and the teenager made him pay by reeling off three straight legs from 3-3 to move into the semis, including a 104 checkout in the penultimate game. In the semis, there was some more magic from Littler as he pulled off the biggest finish of the tournament, a maximum 170 'big fish' checkout on the way to beating Bunting. In the final, Littler was always in control once he produced two fantastic legs, one featuring a 143 checkout and the next an 11-darter. It all left De Decker sighing with a rueful smile: 'He needs to retire because it's not fun any more.'
ABC News
a day ago
- Sport
- ABC News
World champion Luke Littler wins Australian Darts Masters in Wollongong
Teenage world champion Luke Littler has demonstrated his phenomenal talent by winning the star-studded Australian Darts Masters in Wollongong. A year after being humbled in the final of the biggest invitation event to be played in Australia, the 18-year-old from England made no mistake this time. He won all three of his matches convincingly on Saturday night to lift yet another big title. Littler also crushed Damon Heta's homecoming dream as he defeated Australia's top player — the world number 10 — in the quarterfinals. After beating Heta 6-3 in the last eight and Stephen Bunting 7-4 in the semis, Littler outplayed Belgian Mike De Decker to win the final 8-4. In 2024, Littler had lost in the showdown 8-1 to former world champion Gerwyn Price, so was determined to put on a show for his Australian fans on his second visit. "It feels very good. It's another one I can tick off," Littler said after winning a World Series event for the first time in six attempts this year. "I played very well tonight. I didn't play so well last night in the first round but tonight is when it really matters. "It's not gone to plan this year in the World Series but there are plenty of opportunities to win and I've finally picked one up." Littler is chasing a trans-Tasman double when he moves on to the New Zealand Darts Masters. "A few days off and then Auckland, I can't wait," he said of next weekend's event. AAP
