24 February 2024 , 12:04
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Michael van Gerwen has scotched suggestions that teen sensation Luke Littler has become his new nemesis after defeating him for the third time in a row.
Littler, 17, burst onto the scene at the World Championships with a phenomenal run which saw him reach the final before succumbing to Luke Humphries. But while he came up agonisingly short in his bid to clinch a maiden major, the teenager's remarkable feat did secure him a spot in the Premier League.
That has seen Littler lock horns with several of the sports' big guns in recent weeks, including Van Gerwen. Since being beaten by Littler in the the Bahrain Masters, the three-time world champion has won all of their subsequent meetings. His latest triumph, in the semi-final of the Premier League in Newcastle on Thursday night, led to him winning night four of the competition. Van Gerwen trumped Luke Aspinall 6-4 in the final after edging a dramatic match with Littler 6-5.
When he was asked if Littler had become his new arch-rival after another showdown, the Dutchman quipped: "Not really, I keep beating him!" He quickly went on to praise 'The Nuke', adding: "No, he's a phenomenal player, I know that. He has such a lot of talent and he has got a great career in front of him.
"But like I always say, get the pressure off him, don't ask him too many stupid questions. Let him just enjoy what he does and it will make him a better player in the long run." Van Gerwen echoed similar sentiments after Littler suggested that he could retire before he hits 30. The 34-year-old, who has won the last three nights on the Premier League circuit, urged people to leave the youngster be.
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Van Gerwen wants people to leave Little alone (Getty Images)He stressed: "He’s a young kid. How much pressure everyone puts on his shoulders is insane. I know, as a player, how it is. I don’t think it’s fair on him. But that’s my opinion. "Let him enjoy his life. Let him do his own thing. If he puts his shoe on, puts his darts in the sand, put his finger in his nose, whatever he does, people speak about it. Of course that happens with famous people, but let him live his life.
"I just like darts and I want to protect the product. I like to perform to the highest level, and that’s why I like to play against Luke Littler. But if you keep doing this, I’ve seen a lot of kids in his position drift off. So I don’t think that’s good for the sport."
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