Luke Littler considers abandoning Dutch tournaments amid hostile crowds
Luke Littler has declared he is prepared to abandon tournaments in the Netherlands following relentless jeering from spectators at the World Series of Darts Finals in Amsterdam, reports BritPanorama.
The 19-year-old world number one faced a clearly hostile crowd during both his matches at the event this weekend, prompting him to contemplate extending a boycott of European Tour fixtures in Germany, which he has already implemented.
In his opening match on Friday evening, Littler defeated Dutch favourite Danny Noppert 6-4, but the Amsterdam audience made their displeasure apparent throughout. Matters escalated during Saturday’s last-16 clash against Nathan Aspinall, leading referee Charlie Costorphine to intervene and address the crowd about their conduct.
While this intervention somewhat lessened the noise, audible whistles continued during the match. Nevertheless, Littler managed to maintain his composure and won the match in a tense final-leg decider. The incident underscored the precarious atmosphere he faced, including a moment when a spectator shouted just as Aspinall prepared to release a crucial dart.
In a conversation with Online Darts, Littler expressed his frustration: “If the Dutch stay like this, then I’m not going to do any Euro tours over there. There’s just no point in me travelling, wasting my time whilst I’m getting booed. I just want to play my darts, obviously sign autographs.” His comments reflect a notable shift in his attitude; while initially accepting the jeering as part of competing against a home player, ongoing hostility changed his perspective.
Littler, a back-to-back world champion, is set to compete at the European Championship in Dortmund next month, which may serve as a test of whether public attitudes have improved. Should he progress past today’s quarter-final against Jonny Clayton, he will face either Gerwyn Price or James Wade in the semi-finals.
Despite the uncertain reception he may face, Littler remains focused on achieving a historic feat in darts: winning all ten major televised tournaments in a single calendar year. Having already secured victories in the first five, the Amsterdam event represents a crucial opportunity for him to maintain this remarkable run.
As the crowd awaits his next performance, the behaviour of spectators could play a significant role in shaping the future of darts tournaments in the Netherlands, marking a pivotal moment for both Littler and the sport. The interplay between athlete and audience is never short of drama; today, especially so.
