Littler’s bid for a clean sweep of all major PDC titles in 2026 ended on Sunday when he was beaten 10‑4 by Jonny Clayton in the last‑eight of the World Series of Darts Finals in Amsterdam, but the defeat was eclipsed by the Brit’s frustration at the hostile atmosphere.
During his Friday win over home favourite Danny Noppert, Littler faced significant crowd hostility, and on Saturday he was booed and whistled at while beating Nathan Aspinall. The sharp, high‑frequency whistles prompted referee Charlie Corstorphine to intervene on Littler’s behalf.
The whistling, which Littler described as “piercing” and disruptive to his concentration, has become a recurring issue for him. He previously refused to travel to European Tour events in Germany after similar treatment from fans there.
On the latest episode of Sky Sports’ Love The Darts Podcast, World Series champion Ross Smith said he tries to emulate Michael van Gerwen’s calm approach to hostile crowds, noting that “aggressive” reactions can create more problems for a player.
Former world‑championship quarter‑finalist Paul Nicholson agreed, pointing to Gerwyn Price’s evolution from aggression to a more balanced, smiling demeanor that has won over crowds. Nicholson suggested Littler could learn from such examples to avoid alienating fans and jeopardising his career.
Nicholson also explained why whistling is more unsettling than booing for darts players, saying the sudden, sharp sound can jolt a player’s shoulder at a critical moment, whereas a boo is a lower‑frequency, more manageable noise.
Littler’s threat to boycott future Dutch events, if the whistling continues, raises questions about how the PDC and tournament organisers will address crowd behaviour, especially as Sky Sports prepares to broadcast the World Grand Prix, Grand Slam of Darts and World Darts Championship later this year.