Luke Littler was incensed by a comment made by a player he has clashed with before during their Players Championship round of meeting on Saturday night.
Littler took on Ricardo Pietreczko in Minehead, coming from 5-3 down to win 10-6 and set up a clash with Chris Dobey in the quarter-finals.
The world No.1 has moved a step closer to winning the competition that has evaded him and did so by beating an opponent who he has got under his skin previously.
Pietreczko did have the upper hand over 'The Nuke' at one stage but his decision to make a comment to him in the middle of their match proved costly and led to Littler turning it on.
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According to Littler, with the score at 5-5, the German made a remark about only expecting to get one leg against him. The 18-year-old sensation viewed it as an attempt from Pietreczko to get in his head and his response was to decide that Pietreczko was "getting it".
Littler then changed up his approach with a little more showboating and it worked a treat.
"We came back on at 5-5 before the callers got on stage, it was just me and him," Littler said.
“He said to me, ‘I expected to get one leg and now I’ve got five legs.’
“In my head I was like, ‘What are you on about?’ I genuinely said to myself, ‘You’re getting it, I’m going to win this now,’ and I did."
He continued: “That’s why I brought all the showboating. It can’t be anything else but to try and get in my head.
“If you try and get in my head I’ll just do what I do and then I’ll bring out the showboats.
“He was pretty happy after I beat him. I thought it would have been the same as on the Euro tour but it wasn’t so fair play to him.”
Littler averaged 102.67 compared to Pietreczko's 90.41 and produced a stunning 121 checkout to win his fifth leg on the trot before turning to the crowd with his arms out.
Littler's previous spat with Pietreczko
Back on the Euro tour, in the semi-final of the Belgian Darts Open, Pietreczko confronted Littler on stage after the world and Premier League champion won 7-3.
He appeared to whisper words in Littler's ear, taking issue with the way in which he decided to approach the checkout.
After squaring up to Littler, who did not know what he had done wrong, 'Pikachu' said that he hoped the Warrington player's "arrogance punishes him."
Pietreczko later felt the need to apologise publicly to Littler and the darts fans with an Instagram post where he admitted his emotions got the better of him.
"Hi fans! I wanted to apologise for my behaviour on stage in Wieze," he wrote.
"I was really proud of reaching the semi-finals but got a little bit too emotional and overreacted in the game. Sorry @lukethenukelittler and big respect for what you have achieved.
"Usually I am a fan of fancy checkouts. Looking forward to the Pro Tours in Germany next week! Thank you for your support!"
Topics: Luke Littler, Darts, World Darts Championship
Josh Lawless