"Think people are getting bored of me and Luke and Gian winning": Luke Littler faces price of success with booing during opener

Luke Littler can breathe a sigh of relief. The newly crowned world champion started his Winmau World Masters campaign with a win, but it was anything but straightforward. In Milton Keynes, the teenage sensation had to dig deep to avoid an early exit. A missed match dart from Mike De Decker proved the turning point in a match Littler himself described as “not the best, but a win’s a win.”

The 19-year-old Englishman admitted afterwards that he got away with one in his opening match at the Winmau World Masters 2026. “Obviously it wasn’t the best, but a win’s a win,” Littler conceded honestly afterwards. “You’ve got to take these scrappy wins early on in the tournament, and that’s what I’ve done tonight.”

From the first leg it was clear that Littler didn’t display the automatic dominance we’ve come to expect from him in recent months. His scoring was patchy, the timing was off, and even his body language looked flat. He was asked directly whether something was going on. “The thing is, just myself,” he explained. “Not practising Saturday, so maybe that played a part in it. I had a good few hours — an hour and a half max — tonight, but that’s what I do. As long as I’m warmed up and I can find the trebles and stuff like that in practice, then I don’t need to practise anymore.”

That laid-back confidence has become a Littler trademark, though he admitted the circumstances played a role. “Obviously, new stage and everything — that’s all getting used to.”

The match turned at a crucial moment. Littler’s opponent had a dart at double 11 to win it. The arena held its breath, and so did Littler. “As soon as he found the first treble, I was like, yeah — if he finds another, then fair enough. And then he found it, and then for him to miss… we weren’t that far away.”

That proved the breaking point. “If it went in, then yeah, like you said, back next year. But luckily and thankfully, he missed that double 11, and then I found a bit of form.”

It’s a scenario Littler knows all too well. “There’s been quite a few times in my career where people have missed a match dart in the first round and I’ve gone on to win the tournament. So yeah, fingers crossed I can go on and win this one.”

The match had an extra edge: it was Littler’s first appearance in England since his world title. The reception was strikingly mixed. Alongside loud cheers there were also boos from the stands. “Everything was going on tonight — boos, cheers — and I just had to do my thing,” he said. “Learn from the World Championship, don’t react too early. Even tonight, I didn’t react during the game or after. I just got my darts and went off stage.”

That’s a deliberate choice. “Like I said, I learn from the World Championship. I don’t react — I just play my darts.”

The shift in public opinion is something Littler has noticed himself. Less than a year ago he was the darling of the darts world. Now there’s resistance more often. “I think people want to see new winners,” he analyzed. “I think people are getting bored of me and Luke and Gian winning. People can pick who they support, people can pick who they want to boo or cheer.”

The comparison with other sports is obvious. “You’ve seen it with Wayne Rooney,” Littler said. “That clip from the World Cup where he’s saying it’s nice to hear the fans boo you or something. I actually saw that on my TikTok a few hours after the Rob Cross game, which was pretty crazy.”

It’s striking how maturely Littler handles the situation, especially for his age. “There’s so much to learn,” he acknowledged. “I think I’ve learned a lot already, and if there’s anything else to learn, then I’m sure it’ll pop up for myself on and off the oche.”

That he held firm despite everything was also due to a moment of magic: a sudden bid for a nine-darter. “To be fair, I didn’t expect to go for the six darts because I wasn’t playing that well,” he admitted. “It seemed to come from nowhere, but I found it.”

The attempt ended on double 15, but the crowd was fully engaged. “That just gives me extra motivation,” he said. “Double 15 didn’t quite go in, but yeah — we can try again.”

Was it enjoyable? Littler had to think for a moment. “It was very close,” he said. “And I think they’re the best games to win. Obviously he misses a match dart, you come back and then win the game.”

Looking ahead to the next round, Littler knows he has to improve. “Obviously we hear it on ITV a lot and on social media — if you don’t get me early, then no one’s going to win,” he said. “But I’ve just got to play even better than I did tonight and tomorrow, and I’m sure I’ll be OK.”

In the next round, Ross Smith awaits, another opponent known for finding an extra gear against Littler. “Me and Ross have played quite a few times and we’ve played very well against each other,” he looked ahead. “We bring the best out of each other, so I’m sure it’ll be a cracker.”