Luke Littler has booked his place in round three of the World Darts Championship and his opponent was already preparing for this game before a dart was thrown at Alexandra Palace.
The Nuke beat David Davies 3-0 in the second round on Sunday night, although the match was more of a test than the scoreline suggests.
The unfancied Welshman had five darts to win the opening set and scored well throughout, but let himself down on the outer ring.
The defending champion remains faultless after beating Darius Labanauskas in the opening round and now faces Mensur Suljovic after Christmas in the last 32.
After downing Davies, the world number one revealed that the Austrian had been in touch as soon as the draw came out, warning the champion that he would be facing him at Ally Pally.
‘I watched it this afternoon. Mensur, he played well,’ Littler told Sky Sports of Suljovic’s round two win over Joe Cullen.
‘No one knows this but when the draw came out, Mensur messaged me and he said: “See you in round three!” So Mensur, let’s have a good game.’
On his win over Davies, in which he averaged 97.15 and his four 180s, Littler said: ‘I’m happy with it, but just throughout that game I was getting away with it.
‘David missed 16 darts a double, but every dart he missed was crucial – the double 18s, the tops.
‘If he hit them, it was a complete different game, but I’m glad he missed. I’ve got the job done.’
Suljovic earned his clash with Littler thanks to a 3-1 win over Cullen which saw the Englishman fuming afterwards.
The Rockstar did not like the 53-year-old’s pace of play, which is always slow, and accused Suljovic of cheating.
Cullen wrote on X: ‘If that’s darts, I don’t want no part of it! Always liked Mensur away from the board but that was plain for all to see!
‘I don’t think I’m alone in feeling this way. The old guard will say it’s part of the game but word it how you will – it’s CHEATING! That’s not darts.’
Suljovic was asked about his deliberate style after the match and said he is always like that and does not do anything to try and put his opponent off.
‘I never ever do this as a provocation,’ Suljovic said. ‘I do it only for my game. I like my game – I never do it to be a villain. Sorry Joe, I never do this – I love you man.’
He added: ‘I never do [said] sorry to Joe Cullen in person. Never. I play on the stage – what’s his problem? Sorry maybe for the referee, but for Joe Cullen? Never.
”You play this, you play this, everybody plays different. I wait maybe 40 seconds before first dart, but some guys (gestures throwing motion) and my head (gestures almost being hit in the head by a dart). This is not OK.’
Littler was asked about the Suljovic vs Cullen match after his win, saying: ‘We all know he flicks his flight quite a few times before he throws. But I didn’t see anything wrong.
‘Obviously if he tries anything to put me off or slow me down I’ve got to be ready for it.’
On Cullen’s cheating claim, the Nuke said: ‘No, it’s not cheating. That’s just how he plays.’