Referee, Commentator Slam Fans After Littler's Win

During Luke Littler's opening match at the Winmau Masters, the referee had to intervene due to disruptive whistling from the crowd. Littler, the reigning world champion, achieved a swift 3-0 victory over Andy Baetens, averaging 104.33 and taking out six of his nine checkouts. Despite his success, the match was marred by a hostile audience, prompting referee Kirk Bevins to issue a warning to stop the whistling. ITV commentator John Rawling expressed his frustration, calling the whistlers 'morons'. Littler downplayed the crowd's behavior, emphasizing the need to focus on the game. He is set to face James Wade in the next round after Wade's narrow victory over Mike De Decker.