Littler defies nine-dart Van Veen to win first-ever Poland Darts Open
#Luke Littler#Poland Darts Open#Gian van Veen#Nine-dart finish#Darts Championship#Krakow#Premier League Darts#2026 Darts
📌 Key Takeaways
Luke Littler won inaugural Poland Darts Open despite Van Veen's nine-dart leg
Littler defeated Van Veen 8-4 in repeat of World Championship final
Perfect leg from Van Veen actually spurred Littler to stronger performance
Victory provides ideal preparation for Premier League in Belfast
📖 Full Retelling
World No 1 Luke Littler defied a perfect nine-dart leg from Dutchman Gian van Veen to win the first-ever Poland Darts Open in Krakow on Sunday, February 22, 2026, maintaining his dominance in the sport with an 8-4 victory. The 19-year-old English star, who had previously faced Van Veen in the World Championship final just a month prior, showed remarkable composure after his opponent achieved the rare feat of a nine-darter early in the match. Littler's response was nothing short of spectacular, winning six of the next seven legs while averaging a blistering 108, effectively turning the momentum decisively in his favor. 'The Nuke' revealed that Van Veen's perfect leg actually spurred him on, with the young champion capitalizing on what he perceived as his opponent's temporary fatigue and excitement following the historic achievement. This victory serves as an ideal warm-up for Littler as he prepares for Premier League Night Four in Belfast on Thursday, where he will carry the confidence of another title into the prestigious tournament.
Pieter Gerard "Gian" van Veen (Dutch: [ˈɣiɑɱ vɑɱ ˈveːn]; born 23 April 2002) is a Dutch professional darts player who competes in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events, where he is ranked world number three. He won the European Championship in 2025. He is also the reigning back-to-back World Y...
Kraków, officially the Royal Capital City of Kraków, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city has a population of 804,237 (2023), with approximately 8 million additional people living within a 100 km (62 mi) ra...
Luke Littler (born 21 January 2007) is an English professional darts player who competes in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events, where he is ranked world No. 1. Nicknamed "the Nuke", Littler has won two PDC World Championships, in 2025 and 2026, and remains the youngest world champion in dar...
Luke Littler defies nine-dart Gian van Veen to win first-ever Poland Darts Open and warm up for Premier League in Belfast in style Luke Littler warmed up for Premier League Night Four with victory at the inaugural Poland Darts Open as he defied a nine-dart leg from Gian van Veen to win; you can watch Premier League Darts live on Sky Sports all the way through until the finale at The O2 on May 28 Sunday 22 February 2026 22:20, UK World No 1 Luke Littler defied a perfect leg from Dutchman Gian van Veen to win the first-ever Poland Darts Open on Sunday. Littler slayed the Dutchman 8-4 in a repeat of last month's World Championship final to win the title in Krakow with the two-time world champion revealing Van Veen's first-ever televised nine-darter spurred him on to victory. The reigning European Champion hit the perfect leg to lead 3-2 but 'The Nuke' won six of the next seven legs to defeat his rival in emphatic fashion averaging a blistering 108 in the process. Poland Darts Open 2026: Schedule and results ✅ Premier League darts: Latest schedule and results ✅ Darts in 2026: Key dates, calendar, results 📅 Got Sky? Watch on the Sky Sports app 📱 Not got Sky? Get instant access with NOW 📺 "It definitely spurred me on," Littler said. "All weekend I've gone off 180 and I've wanted to go back-to-back to have a shot myself but when Gian hit it, in my head I was like 'let's get him now he's a bit tired'. "In the past people have hit nine-darters against me and it's a big achievement. It's not easy to do. In the final, so early, I was like just go for him now while he's a bit overwhelmed." The 19-year-old added: "In the Premier League, the first three weeks, I've not felt the best but coming here I definitely needed this one. "We can take it onto Belfast on Thursday." Also See: Stream Premeir League Darts and more with NOW Premier League Darts 2026: Full schedule Darts in 2026: Tournament dates and schedule Listen to the Love The Darts podcast Van Veen admitted: "I wish I mi...
