Jonny Clayton praised Luke Littler for remaining unfazed by a hostile crowd as he claimed his second consecutive nightly win in the Premier League in Rotterdam.
Clayton picked up his fourth nightly victory of the campaign in 11 weeks, extending his lead at the top of the table. The Welsh No 1 beat Michael van Gerwen, Josh Rock and Littler to lift the night’s title at the Rotterdam Ahoy, taking his points tally to 29.
In the final, Clayton began 2-0 down after Littler opened with an 11-darter and a break of throw. The 2021 Premier League champion then rallied, winning three straight legs to lead for the first time and later hitting a crucial 78 finish with Littler waiting on a double to move within one leg of victory. Littler grabbed a 15-dart hold to threaten a comeback, but Clayton capitalised on missed doubles from his opponent and checked out tops to seal the win and all but guarantee his spot at the O2.
“I’m not going to say anything because Littler will come back and beat me up,” Clayton joked in his press conference. He added praise for the 18-year-old: “He’s got everything that every other player wishes for. He’s got that attitude, he’s got the throw, he’s got the mentality. He’s got everything. What a player and to beat him, I’ve done my job.”
Clayton also marked a personal milestone, noting it was his 20th anniversary and admitting he’d forgotten until afterward. He said last week’s comments suggesting he might finish bottom had stung, but with his current form he was smiling and comfortable, holding a 16-point buffer over fifth place in the Play-Off race.
Littler’s run to the final was his fourth in seven weeks, and the world champion moved to 24 points on the table after dispatching Gerwyn Price and Josh Rock earlier in the night. After his quarter-final win over Price, Littler reflected: “It was exactly what I expected, the boos and whistles. But I knew as soon as I got on stage I could do my job. I was practising very well before the game.”
Three-time world champion Glen Durrant described the atmosphere as “hostile” and praised Littler for not letting the crowd influence him, noting Price was below his best with an average under 90.
The Premier League now heads to the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool for Night 12 on Thursday April 23, another pivotal night as the race for the Play-Offs intensifies. Quarter-finals scheduled are:
– Gian van Veen vs Gerwyn Price
– Stephen Bunting vs Jonny Clayton
– Josh Rock vs Michael van Gerwen
– Luke Humphries vs Luke Littler
Ranking points are awarded each night — five for the winner, three for the runner-up and two to each semi-finalist — to form the league table from which the top four will progress to Finals Night at The O2 in London on Thursday May 28. Luke Humphries will be defending his title.