Luke Littler’s conqueror tells fans: ‘Luke’s not a robot’

Luke Littler lost his World Grand Prix title defence in Leicester on September 28, but the player who beat him also urged fans to support him. In an interview reported by Sky Sports on September 29, Luke Woodhouse defended the world number one after earlier crowd booing in Amsterdam.

“Luke’s not a robot. He is going to have days and weeks where he’s not right on it,” Woodhouse said after winning 2–1. His message to supporters was direct: “You might not see another Luke Littler ever again.”

How Woodhouse ended Littler’s title defence

The first-round match at Leicester’s Mattioli Arena ended the 19-year-old’s attempt to retain the title he won against Luke Humphries in 2025. Littler had won that final 6–1; this time, his tournament lasted one match.

Littler took the opening set 3–1, but Woodhouse recovered to level the match. Woodhouse then won the first two legs of the deciding set. Littler pulled one back before a 75 checkout sealed Woodhouse’s victory, with the final set finishing 3–1.

As NewsJaws previously reported, Woodhouse’s comeback knocked out the defending champion. His post-match appeal added another dimension: the winner wanted supporters to appreciate the opponent he had just eliminated.

Why the World Grand Prix format matters

The opening round was best of three sets, with each set best of five legs and no set tie-break. The tournament also uses a double-start rule: players must hit a double before they can begin scoring in each leg, then hit another double to finish.

Woodhouse acknowledged the challenge of that short format. In comments reproduced by Darts World, he said this was his first meeting with Littler on a main stage and admitted he had been shaking. He called the match “scrappy”.

“When the games get longer, Luke gets better, so I just tried my best to put him under as much pressure as I could,” Woodhouse said. He told Sky that beating Littler was a major achievement, while adding: “Winning tournaments is what I’m here for.”

What Woodhouse said about Littler and the fans

Woodhouse’s defence centred on Littler’s talent and the expectations surrounding him. “I hope people will take the time to appreciate how good he is and not give him a hard time,” he said.

He credited Littler with taking the sport forward, placing his contribution alongside those of Phil Taylor, Michael van Gerwen, Raymond van Barneveld and Gary Anderson. Asked why some fans were giving Littler a hard time, however, Woodhouse answered: “I don’t know.”

Littler also acknowledged his opponent’s win. Sky reported that he congratulated Woodhouse on social media; Sporting Life reported an Instagram message recognising missed chances from both players and wishing Woodhouse well for the rest of the tournament.

What happened with the Amsterdam crowd

The crowd incidents behind Woodhouse’s appeal happened at the World Series of Darts Finals in Amsterdam, before the separate World Grand Prix defeat in Leicester. Sky reported boos during Littler’s win over Danny Noppert and further disruption against Nathan Aspinall on September 19.

The referee intervened during the Aspinall match, which Littler won 10–9. Speaking to Online Darts, in comments quoted by Sky on September 20, Littler said: “If the Dutch stay like this, then I’m not going to do any Euro tours over there.”

Sky subsequently reported that Littler withdrew from two Players Championship events in the Netherlands. His Amsterdam tournament ended with a quarter-final defeat by Jonny Clayton. Neither Sky’s Leicester report nor Sporting Life’s match account establishes that crowd behaviour caused his loss to Woodhouse.

What happened to Woodhouse after beating Littler

Woodhouse’s victory earned him a second-round meeting with Aspinall, but his own run has now ended. DartsNews reported that Aspinall beat him 3–0 on September 30, winning nine legs to three and averaging 96.27.

Woodhouse led the third set 2–0 before Aspinall recovered and finished the match with a 106 checkout. Aspinall advanced to a quarter-final against Ryan Joyce scheduled for October 2. The tournament’s semi-finals are scheduled for October 3 and its final for October 4; both Littler and Woodhouse are out.