Luke Littler has revealed how a persistent heckler attempted to throw him off during his comprehensive victory at the Winmau World Masters in Milton Keynes.
The World Champion powered through to the quarter-finals with an emphatic 4-1 triumph against Ross Smith, though he faced continuous disruption from a fan situated close to the stage.
The teenage star was seen looking towards the source of the interference after taking the first set.
Littler said: "Obviously, it's the tournament I've not won and like I said yesterday, just keep your head down, don't react to anything. A few things in the crowd again at the very front."
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The disruption proved so apparent that both competitors noticed it throughout the contest.
Smith confirmed the extent of the problem when the pair came off stage at 3-1, directly addressing the situation with his opponent.
Littler said: "And even Ross said when we went off at 3-1, he's an idiot, that guy, whoever it was. I didn't know who it was, but it was just throughout the game."
Luke Littler has revealed how a persistent heckler attempted to throw him off during his comprehensive victory at the Winmau World Masters in Milton Keynes
|GETTY
The fact that Smith felt compelled to comment highlighted just how blatant the heckling had become during their encounter.
Littler added: "So even Ross obviously seen it, but like I said at the Worlds, just don't react and get the job done."
Both men refused to allow the distraction to affect their performances, maintaining focus throughout the match.
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Five things to know about Luke Littler | PAVenue security made contact with Littler following the second set to enquire about what had been said, but the darts star played down the incident.
Littler said: "I mean, obviously, if I'm winning, then it doesn't really matter.
"After the second set, one of the security came over to me and said: What did he say? And I just said: Oh nothing. It doesn't really matter. I've won the set, it doesn't really matter."
The teenager expressed doubts about whether intervention from officials actually helps in such circumstances.
Littler explained: "I think, obviously, it could make it worse at times," referencing a Premier League incident involving himself and Luke Humphries when referee Kirk Bevins asked spectators to stop whistling, which only prompted more whistling from the crowd.
Luke Littler blew Ross Smith away in their Masters match
|PA
Despite the interference, Littler produced a performance that nearly shattered average records, with his scoring initially reaching 117 before falling by 10 points as the match progressed.
The 19-year-old admitted: "I think I always want to break records. Obviously, if you put a big number in like I have just there, then that's always a positive moving into the next round.
"Ross even said to me, the first three sets, I was playing a robot."
The victory sets up a quarter-final meeting with Josh Rock, and Littler has his sights firmly set on surpassing records in that encounter.