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7 minutes ago
Michael Van Gerwen has criticised world champion Luke Littler for his poor time keeping after the 18-year-old arrived 45 minutes late for a media day in Belfast.
Littler, who became the youngest world champion when he defeated the Dutchman last month, is one of seven players competing in the Premier League which starts in Northern Ireland on Thursday.
The teenager from Warrington said he had overslept after taking a morning nap, which didn’t impress his colleagues.
“They need to stop treating him like a baby. He’s not a baby anymore, he’s 18 years old now,” van Gerwen told reporters.
“It happens. He has to learn. You have to learn the hard way. It’s a professional sport so you have to be responsible for your actions. Simple as that.”
“If he turns up late for an interview, I don’t mind. But seven other people are waiting for him. That’s not very nice, is it?”
After their meeting in the world championship final, the pair met again in the quarter-finals of the Dutch Masters two weeks ago with Littler again coming out on top.
They are set to renew their rivalry again at the oche in Belfast on Thursday as they will face each other in their opening quarter-final of this season’s Premier League.
You can follow live text commentary on the BBC Sport website from 19:00 GMT on Thursday
