Former world No 1 Colin Lloyd has warned Luke Littler that his recent stage antics could "come back to haunt him" following incidents with darts fans in Leeds.
Lloyd believes the teenage sensation is "turning into a bit of a character" but cautioned that such behaviour might provoke more hostile reactions.
"When you're doing stuff like that, you could get to a point where they are at you constantly, and then if you react to them, you can't complain," Lloyd told talkSPORT.
The 51-year-old was particularly struck by Littler's crying gesture to the crowd after hitting a double against Nathan Aspinall.
Former world No 1 Colin Lloyd has warned Luke Littler that his recent stage antics could "come back to haunt him" following incidents with darts fans in Leeds
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Lloyd acknowledged fans should appreciate Littler's interaction, noting: "He doesn't care that they're booing him or trying to do things to him. He just shrugs his shoulders."
"At this moment in time, he is riding the crest of a wave," Lloyd added.
The 18-year-old darts prodigy made headlines during Thursday's Premier League event in Leeds with a series of provocative gestures towards heckling fans.
Littler, an avid Manchester United supporter, was predictably booed upon arrival in the Yorkshire city.
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Luke Littler was unfazed by Premier League fans booing him in Leeds
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The teenager responded by making a crying gesture to fans who were heckling him during his 6-4 victory over Aspinall.
This came after Littler had already made a yawn gesture during his walk-on for the quarter-final match.
His antics continued throughout the evening as he engaged with the hostile crowd.
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Despite the frosty reception, Littler appeared unfazed by the atmosphere, continuing to play his natural game.
Littler's provocative gestures weren't limited to his crying motion towards the Leeds crowd.
The teenager also made a deliberate 4-1 gesture to TV cameras during the night.
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This was a celebratory reference to Manchester United's victory over Athletic Bilbao, which had taken place the same evening.
Despite his confident demeanour and crowd interactions, Lloyd suggested these actions show Littler "is someone who goes up there and goes about his business in his own way."
The former world No 1 noted that Littler "just does not care" about negative crowd reactions.
Luke Littler was beaten by Luke Humphries in Leeds
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This growing reputation as a character marks a shift in the sport, with Lloyd noting: "People have said over the years, or the past few months anyway, that the game has not got many characters anymore."
Despite his confident performance throughout the night, Littler couldn't secure the overall victory in Leeds.
He was narrowly defeated 6-5 by Luke Humphries in the final, with the Leeds superfan delighted after reigning supreme in front of his fans.
