Littler and Van Veen Feud Persists Before Rematch

Luke Littler and Gian van Veen remain at odds over a heated confrontation during their Premier League Darts quarterfinal in Manchester two weeks ago, with both players expressing willingness to resolve the dispute ahead of a potential rematch in Rotterdam on Thursday.

The incident unfolded in the deciding leg of the match, which Van Veen won 6-5 after missing a match dart at double 15. Littler, the world champion, celebrated toward the crowd with a fist pump and gestures that Van Veen interpreted as mocking his miss. Van Veen stared back at Littler while still holding a dart, then placed his darts on the table before throwing his final shot. Littler later mimed a crying motion and called Van Veen a "crybaby" as tensions peaked. After securing the victory with a double six, Van Veen received a tense handshake from Littler, who offered a brief "well done" before leaving the stage.

In interviews this week, both players defended their actions without conceding ground. Littler, speaking to Online Darts, described his celebration as directed at his girlfriend, Faith Millar, and her father, not Van Veen. "I did a little fist bump towards Faith and her dad," he said. "There was no need...