MICHAEL VAN GERWEN will not be shaking Luke Littler’s hands during their World Darts Championship final.
The rivals meet in the Ally Pally showpiece TONIGHT in a bid to become world champion.
Littler beat Nathan Aspinall and Stephen Bunting – two of his close friends on the circuit – to book his place in the final.
And the 17-year-old sensation embraced both during the matches with handshakes and fist bumps.
But three-time champ Van Gerwen previously revealed he refuses to even shake hands with fellow players due to some of their unhygienic habits.
He said on the Darts Draait in December: “You have a lot of players who have rituals. Before the match they lick their entire hand.
“You really have a lot of them. I find that really disgusting.”
Players lick their fingers on the oche to help increase friction and grip before throwing.
Littler came under fire by former player and Sky Sports commentator Mark Webster for his repeated embraces with opponent Bunting.
Webster said: “That’s all a bit much. This is a World Championship semi-final. Maybe I’m being a bit harsh.”
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Littler had a similarly respectful quarter-final against close friend Aspinall – but things will be different against Van Gerwen.
He said: “You could look at it that way. Obviously, if we win a set, we are not going to fistbump each other.
“But that’s what I did with Stephen and Nathan. We are good friends. The first set was close. I went 2-0 up, all of a sudden it’s 2-2.
“I had to hold throw, which I did. But yeah, I am so glad I went 4-0 up and I settled really well.”
Littler admitted to enjoying a bit of tension up on the darts stage.
He said: “I’ll prefer it and I don’t at the same time. Me and Nathan after a set, we gave each other a fistbump.
“Me and Stephen did the same. When I went into the 4-0 lead I didn’t think he would do it again, then he won the set and I had to do it to him.
“Me and Nathan and me and Stephen are really good mates. When we win a set, we do what we do.
“But as soon as the referee says ‘game on’ that is when it is game on.”
READ MORE on all the build-up to the Ally Pally extravaganza...
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