VAN VEEN VOWS TO “POKE BACK” AT LITTLER

GIAN VAN VEEN insists he will “poke back” at Luke Littler as the Premier League heads to Antwerp.

World No.3 Van Veen defeated Littler and Jonny Clayton en route to the final, securing three points on debut at the major event.

‘The Giant’ ended a run of three consecutive losses to the teen sensation after claiming a 6-4 triumph on night one. 

Van Veen admits the victory has given him a significant confidence boost heading into the remainder of the competition. 

He said: “Almost a perfect start. Looking at the fixtures and playing Luke Littler in the first game, my goal was just to win that game and then I had a successful night. 

“That happened and then I won the semi-final, but looking back at the final [against Michael van Gerwen] I just wasn’t up to par.  

“I’m looking to do better, but to make a final on my debut I won’t complain. 

“The most important part is to win your first game, especially playing in this for the first time.  

“You don’t want to be spending three or four weeks not winning any games – then it starts getting to you. I think that was the most important part. 

“Littler is not someone you want to be losing five or six matches in a row to, because next time he’ll be 2-0 up against you already! 

“You need to poke back at him and that’s what I did last week, so I think that’s going to help my campaign for the next few weeks as well. 

“I didn’t play my A game, and that helps because I know that even though I didn’t play at my best I can still beat him.  

“I can still win games in the Premier League. That gave me so much confidence. 

“In the best of 11 legs we all know we can beat each other. Over the longer format they [Littler and Luke Humphries] are the two best players in the world at the moment.

“But in the best of 11 all eight players can play six good legs, especially on a Premier League night.””

Van Veen faces Gerwyn Price in a mouthwatering quarter-final clash at Antwerp on Thursday evening.

The Dutchman has managed just one win in their nine meetings and conceded that his opponent’s roars have left him intimidated. 

He added: “I was quite intimidated by him on stage by what he was doing, but I think I’ve grown so much as a player and a first win over him was really needed in Prague last year. 

“Definitely the roaring! You notice that he is there on stage. I knew what was going to happen when he hit a good shot or a 180 and I didn’t really know what to do, but it shouldn’t be an issue anymore.”

Image by Taylor Lanning.