2 days Ago By Robin Mumford
For the second consecutive night, Sky Sports issued an apology after their interview with Michael van Gerwen . The Dutchman's record as the youngest winner of the World Darts Championship was broken on Friday night when 17-year-old teenage sensation Luke Littler defeated him convincingly with a 7-3 victory at Alexandra Palace. 'The Nuke,' the tournament favourite, surged to a commanding 4-0 lead, setting forth a moment that felt like the official changing of the guard for the darts landscape.
Earlier in the competition, he set a new record with an impressive 140.91 average across three darts – the highest ever recorded during a set. Additionally, his total of 76 maximums (180 scores) earned the Runcorn-born prodigy the prestigious Ballon d'Art award.
GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Despite his young age, Littler was only the seventh player to reach back-to-back PDC world finals. And after competing in two tournaments at Alexandra Palace, only seven other players have more 100-plus averages in matches. Van Gerwen lamented his slow start to the final but was gracious in defeat, praising Littler for his performance.
However, the three-time world No.1 couldn’t resist slipping in a curse word , something that has become almost customary for 'The Green Machine' in recent years. His straightforward, unfiltered interviews have solidified his status among Ally Pally royalty.
Why Sky Sports Apologised For Van Gerwen Interview Ruing his tentative opening four legs, Van Gerwen said: "I come 4-0 behind...
I thought I wasn't doing myself any justice, but that's how it is. Then you need to fight and battle back. I think after the 4-0 I think I was definitely not the worst player.
But fair play to him. Every chance he got, every moment he had to hurt me, he did it. "I sometimes say that every 17 years a star gets born, and he's one of them.
I’m an old b****** compared to him!" Sky reporter Abigail Davies swiftly issued an apology after Van Gerwen's curse word, just as she had to in the evening prior , which saw Van Gerwen beat Chris Dobey to book himself a place in the final, to which his caution led to him acknowledging that he had "won f*** all yet". Littler, meanwhile, managed to keep his composure in the euphoria of winning the title, though his reaction to Van Gerwen’s lack of grace added another layer of golden entertainment at the Palace. He told Sky Sports: "I can't believe it.
We both played so well. I've said in interviews that I needed to get off to a quick start tonight and that's what I did. But he was behind me the whole game, those cover shots - he'd hit two trebles, and I'd have to come back with two or three.
"Everyone dreams of lifting this trophy. You've got to get through a tough field. I can't believe it.
I keep saying it but that first game against Ryan Meikle [in round two] was the one that really mattered, and throughout I've just settled. At 2-0 up [in the final set] I started getting nervous but I said to myself to just relax. I was throwing for the match and to get it over and done with then was special.
" Darts fever swept across the UK and Europe to new levels this year, with viewership for the World Darts Championship reportedly rising by 39% compared to last year, averaging 471,000 viewers. For those eager to continue to ride the wave of excitement, there’s plenty more action ahead. The Bahrain Darts Masters kicks off on January 18, featuring top contenders including the two finalists from yesterday, while the PDC Premier League begins on February 6.
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