Michael van Gerwen again had the better of Luke Littler after the teenager left him hanging ahead of their final leg decider in Newcastle. In an epic Premier League semi-final, Littler fought back from 5-3 down to level matters after ‘MVG’ had missed six darts at a double to seal victory.
As his customary when players are at 5-5 in the competition, van Gerwen offered his arm out for a fist bump with his opponents. But Littler turned his back and ignored the gesture, opting to quickly open up the 11th leg.
The three-time world champion soon put the young sensation in his place though. In a thrilling finale, Littler left himself 56, with van Gerwen first having a shot at 90.
He looked up against it after he could only manage a single 18 with his opening dart. But the 34-year-old then finished emphatically, nailing back-to-back double 18’s to move into a third straight Premier League final.
Despite the snub, Littler appeared dignified immediately after his defeat, shaking his head and smiling at Van Gerwen’s ruthless checkout. And the pair embraced on stage, with the Dutchman setting up a final with Nathan Aspinall.
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