Michael van Gerwen's X-rated two-word response speaks volumes about how he sees Luke Littler
Share:
Michael van Gerwen called himself an "old b******" before heaping praise on Luke Littler after his remarkable win on Friday night. Littler demolished the Dutchman 7-3 to become by far the youngest winner of the World Darts Championship. The 17-year-old not only out-classed Van Gerwen, he eclipsed his record as the youngest winner of the Sid Waddell Trophy from when he beat Peter Wright as a 24-year-old in 2014.
Littler fell at the final hurdle last year at Alexandra Palace when he was beaten by world No.1 Luke Humphries, but there never looked like being a repeat. He raced into a 4-0 lead and, although Van Gerwen fought back, he never got a foothold in the match.
Speaking to Sky Sports just minutes after Littler's winning dart, the Green Machine was full of praise for his opponent. After dropping a swear word, which forced an apology to viewers, he said: "I'm 35, he's 17. Every 17 years, a star gets born. "He deserves it, he played well. It hurts, but that's how it should be. If it doesn't hurt, you're not going to be a sportsman. I have to move on and make sure I keep playing better.".
Van Gerwen is one of the most experienced players on the circuit and has won the world championship on three occasions, yet he had no answer for Littler's fast start. The Dutchman kept missing key doubles and was blown away inside 30 minutes. "I went 4-0 behind and after that I thought I wasn't doing myself any justice, but that's the way it is," he admitted.
