Luke Littler faced a delay on his way to victory in the PDC World Championship Final due to the reappearance of wasps at Alexandra Palace. Several players had to contend with the presence of wasps hovering around the playing area during the tournament in London.
During his dominating 7-1 win over Gian van Veen in the final, the 18-year-old Littler had to swat away a bothersome insect. The crowd amusingly chanted a playful tune referencing the Ally Pally wasp during the match.
The wasp issue at this year’s World Championship became so notable that Sky Sports even broadcasted a montage featuring it between sets. In a previous match, Jurjen van der Velde brought bug spray on stage to deal with the pesky insects.
Notably, in 2023, Ross Smith was stung three times while on stage, and a wasp made an appearance during the one-sided final between Littler and Van Veen. Despite the distraction, Littler staged a comeback from losing the first set to secure a convincing victory over the 23-year-old Dutch opponent, successfully defending his world title.
After losing to Luke Humphries in his first World Championship final in 2024, Littler returned to defeat Michael van Gerwen 7-3. Van Gerwen, the previous youngest champion at 24 in 2014, acknowledged Littler’s exceptional performance.
Looking ahead, Littler anticipates more challenging matches against Van Veen in the future, expressing confidence in their ongoing rivalry. Reflecting on his success at a young age, Littler credited his dedication to practice and the unwavering support of his family and friends.
Van Veen, on the other hand, admitted disappointment in his performance, acknowledging Littler’s exceptional skills that led to his back-to-back world titles. The Dutch player recognized Littler’s dominance and expressed determination to improve for future competitions.