Luke Littler apologizes after comeback win as opponent unleashes on referee amid crowd trouble

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Teenage darts sensation Luke Littler staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Mike De Decker 10-9 in a controversial last-16 tie at the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton.

The 17-year-old Englishman found himself trailing 8-4 and later 9-7 to the Belgian Grand Prix World Champion.

De Decker came within one game of victory, missing the tip of a 170 checkout attempt.

But Littler showed extraordinary composure and won three consecutive games, including a crucial throw break, to secure his place in the quarter-finals.

“I don’t know if I enjoyed it. I have to feel for Mike,” Littler told Sky Sports after his win.

Controversy centered on the sustained booing from the crowd when De Decker attempted decisive doubles during the match.

Luke Littler

Luke Littler was apologetic after claiming an incredible victory

Sky Sports

The incident has reignited the debate over crowd control at major darts tournaments, where officials appear powerless to prevent such disturbances at crucial moments.

Sky Sports reporter Abigail Davies took to social media to condemn the crowd’s behaviour.

“The whistling at darts tournaments needs to be stopped, they can’t pretend to be real darts fans can they?” she wrote.

“The comeback from Littler was spectacular but I really feel for De Decker. Tired of it being a blight on our sport,” Davies added.

Judge Kirk Bevins agreed and explained the challenges facing the officials.

“The crowd just gets worse when refs address the crowd. John McDonald even addressed the crowd at halftime about this one time and they got worse,” Bevins wrote.

He suggested that fans should “report it to security and get them kicked out” if they witness the whistle.

The behavior of the partisan crowd seemed to affect the momentum of the match, especially in its closing stages.

“The crowd was obviously on his back even worse. Then I just took full advantage,” admitted Littler.

Mike De Decker

Mike De Decker complained to the referee amid crowd trouble

Sky Sports

The teenager’s post-victory behavior reflected the controversial nature of the win as he immediately held up his hands in an apologetic gesture after throwing the winning dart.

Littler also revealed a tactical adjustment during his comeback: “Early I was at my normal pace, but towards the end I took an extra second and that helped me – I might have to throw like that from now on.”

Sky Sports’ Megan Wellens noted that the whistle has become “a harsh reality in the current darts climate.”

Littler’s dramatic victory sets up a quarter-final showdown with Dutchman Jermaine Wattimena on Saturday.

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Luke Littler

Luke Littler came back to win 10-9 but his opponent was on the receiving end of the crowd’s whistles

Sky Sports

Wattimena booked his place in the last eight with his own thrilling 10-9 win over Dimitri van den Bergh.

In the second round of 16, Gian van Veen secured an emphatic 10-2 victory against Ryan Joyce.

Gary Anderson completed the quarter-final line-up by defeating Stephen Bunting 10-6.

The tournament continues on Friday night at Aldersley Leisure Village in Wolverhampton, with Mickey Mansell facing Cameron Menzies and Martin Lukeman taking on Rob Cross in the first two quarter-final matches.