LUKE LITTLER showed his class in defeat as he put his Michael van Gerwen feud to bed.
The Nuke crashed out to Mighty Mike in the opening round of the first night of 2025 Premier League Darts.
The 18-year-old managed an astonishing average of 113.91 – the second-highest losing average in the 21-year history of the Premier League after Phil Taylor posted 115.8 in his defeat to Raymond van Barneveld in Glasgow in 2015.
Yet that was not enough to progress past his Dutch rival, who exacted revenge for losing in the final of the World Darts Championship last month.
Littler had the chance to win the game but shot narrowly wide of the treble 19 he needed to then hit a bullseye checkout.
He was seen grimacing from the miss before Van Gerwen stepped up to the oche to finish the match.
But as he did so, the crowd began booing to try and put him off.
Littler wagged his finger at the crowd telling them not to boo the 35-year-old.
The teen could have reacted differently given how Van Gerwen had scolded him for turning up 45 minutes late to a Premier League Darts photoshoot.
Van Gerwen had blasted: “They need to stop treating him as a baby. He’s not a baby anymore, he’s 18 years old. It happens. He has to learn. You have to learn the hard way.
“It’s a professional sport so you have to be responsible for your actions, simple as that. If he turns up late for an interview, I don’t really mind.
“But seven other people were waiting for him, that’s not really nice. But it is what it is.”
[bc_video account_id=”5067014667001″ application_id=”” aspect_ratio=”16:9″ autoplay=”” caption=”Britain’s worst football team gets a coaching session in accuracy by teen darts sensation Luke Littler” embed=”in-page” experience_id=”” height=”100%” language_detection=”” max_height=”360px” max_width=”640px” min_width=”0px” mute=”” padding_top=”56%” picture_in_picture=”” player_id=”default” playlist_id=”” playsinline=”” sizing=”responsive” video_id=”6368392601112″ video_ids=”” width=”640px”]But it didn’t seem to matter to Van Gerwen as he clinically scored nine and double eight to checkout and win the thrilling match 6-5.
Wayne Mardle, 51, also made his return to TV following the tragic death of his wife Donna, who passed away aged 52 following a short illness before Christmas.
The former professional player – a five-time world championship semi-finalist – had a mic in his hand for the quarter-final Grudge Match between Luke Littler and Michael van Gerwen, working alongside pal Rod Studd.
And he also worked on semi-final two between victor Gerwen and Luke Humphries with co-commentator Dan Dawson at the SSE Arena, which showcased the best sport before 9,000 fans.
[boxout headline=”Premier League Darts 2025: Dates and venues”]Night 1 – Belfast: Humphries beat Dobey 6-1
Night 2 – Glasgow: Littler beat Humphries 6-5
Night 3 – Dublin: Price beat Aspinall 6-3
Night 4 – Exeter: Humphries beat Littler 6-4
Night 5 – Brighton: Littler beat Aspinall 6-3
Night 6 – Nottingham: Price beat Littler 6-3
Night 7 – Cardiff: Littler beat Van Gerwen 6-4
Night 8 – Newcastle: Littler beat Humphries 6-1
Night 9 – Berlin: Bunting beat Price 6-5
Night 10 – Manchester: Aspinall beat Humphries 6-4
Night 11 – Rotterdam: Dobey beat Bunting 6-2
Night 12 – M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool – Thursday April 24
Night 13 – Utilita Arena, Birmingham, Thursday May 1
Night 14 – First Direct Arena, Leeds – Thursday May 8
Night 15 – P&J Live, Aberdeen – Thursday May 15
Night 16 – Utilita Arena, Sheffield – Thursday May 22
Play-Offs – The O2, London – Thursday May 29
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