Luke Littler has accused Ricardo Pietreczko of trying to get in his head after beating the German 10-6 to reach the quarter-finals of the PDC Players Championship in Minehead.
Luke Littler was fired up by what he perceived as “mind-games” from Ricardo Pietreczko as the world No.1 battled through to the quarters-finals of the Players Championship.
The 18-year-old sensation found himself in a sticky situation after falling 3-1 behind to Germany’s second-ranked player Pietreczko in the race to 10 legs. But ‘The Nuke’ flipped the script, in dramatic fashion, claiming nine of the following 12 legs with a ton-plus average to march into the last eight at Minehead.
While Littler’s fightback had an air of inevitability about it, he was galvanised by Pietreczko’s words during the break when the match stood level at 5-5. Speaking after his triumph, Littler said: “We’ve come back on at 5-5 and he said, before the caller came back on stage; ‘I was only looking forward to getting one leg and now I’ve got five’.
“I just said to myself; ‘why say that’? Inside to myself I said; ‘You’re getting it, I’m gonna win this game’ and that’s what I’ve done and that’s why I brought out the showboating.”
Littler continued: “It can’t be anything else but to try and get in my head. But if he’s trying to get in my head I’ll do what I do, 180s and then I’ll bring out the showboats.”
The 2007-born wonderkid, who claimed the world No.1 ranking after his Grand Slam triumph last week, posted an average of 102.67 and fired in six maximum scores in yet another explosive scoring exhibition.
He also replicated the notorious 121 checkout which sparked friction between the same duo on the European Tour last season, nailing it in typical Littler fashion: bull, treble 7, bull.
Reflecting on his display, Littler told ITV4: “Obviously, I am never happy when I am losing, at 3-2 down I then got it back to five-all and I just had to kick on there.
“I knew there were no more breaks, we were on (stage) until the end and I managed to get the job done. I was not the best on my doubles tonight, but I can sharpen up on them again tomorrow afternoon.”
Littler’s next challenge comes against world No.9 Chris Dobey in Sunday’s quarter-final.
If ‘The Nuke’ overcomes Dobey, he’ll meet the victor from Gerwyn Price’s battle with Daryl Gurney in the semi-finals.
Nathan Aspinall and Josh Rock square off in the third quarter-final encounter, while James Wade and Jermaine Wattimena complete the afternoon’s programme at the Players Championship Finals.
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