Gian van Veen ready to move on from Littler dispute
Gian van Veen has signalled his readiness to put his dispute with Luke Littler behind them following their heated Premier League quarter-final encounter in Manchester a fortnight ago, reports BritPanorama.
The Dutch player is prepared to “bury the hatchet” with the world champion after tensions flared between the pair during their clash. Littler, in an interview this week, expressed that the time had come to move past the incident, and Van Veen appears willing to do the same, although he maintains his position on the events that transpired.
The flashpoint occurred when Littler celebrated after Van Veen missed a match dart, gesturing for his opponent to return to the oche. Their encounter concluded with an icy handshake, with further exchanges continuing on social media afterwards. Littler has denied celebrating the missed dart, but Van Veen stands by his assessment that the world champion’s conduct was “childish.”
Despite this, the Dutchman harbours no hard feelings towards his rival, expressing a desire to draw a line under the incident. When asked about the need to clear the air, he commented, “It’s a difficult one. Like for myself, not really. He said his piece the other day.”
Van Veen added, “I still have the same view as I had two weeks ago when it all happened, and if he wants to bury the hatchet then fine.” He noted, “I don’t have any hard feelings towards him… If he wants to, it’s all happening in the heat of the moment.”
The rivalry could see a renewed focus in the semi-final of Thursday’s Premier League event in Rotterdam, where Van Veen will have home advantage. The 23-year-old expressed optimism about the possibility of a future friendship with Littler and hopes to face him again soon, stating, “For sure… it’s all happening in the heat of the moment.”
As Van Veen prepares for a potential clash with Littler, he reflected on the competitive spirit in the sport, noting, “I enjoy it but only if I’m not involved. I think it’s good for the sport to have a bit of needle here and there, but you never want to be involved.” He will first have to beat Luke Humphries in the quarter-final to set up a tie with Littler, who opens against Gerwyn Price.
In a sport sometimes criticised for a lack of rivalry, this recent episode serves as a reminder of how quickly tempers can flare and how even a fleeting incident can spark substantial discussion. As the tournament unfolds, eyes will undoubtedly be on both players, curious to see if the air can truly be cleared amid the stakes of competition.
