Littler has grown to be a beloved figure in the UK, but because the 17-year-old supports Manchester United, the 8,500-person audience booed him harshly.
But he lived up to the occasion, frequently putting his palms to his ears and giving the audience a 2-0 gesture before his quarterfinal in reaction to Liverpool’s Wednesday loss at Everton.
Littler advanced to the final after defeating Gerwyn Price and Nathan Aspinall. In the final, he quickly built a five-leg lead and held on to win despite a brief comeback by Cross.
Littler leads world champion Luke Humphries in the standings and is all but guaranteed a spot in the play-offs, which will take place on May 23 at London’s O2 Arena.
Littler told Sports, “I was building up to what was coming this week. I knew what was coming.”
