Joe Cullen stormed out of his post-match press conference after accusing the media of not respecting him following his 3-0 victory over Wessel Nijman at the World Darts Championship. The Bradford-born player, who clinched the win with impressive form, averaging just over 98 and dropping only four legs throughout the match, expressed his frustration toward reporters on Sunday evening at Alexandra Palace.
Despite achieving such a commanding performance, Cullen's mood was far from celebratory. During the tetchy on-stage interview, he gave very short, blunt answers, reflecting his displeasure. When prompted about whether he had put significant effort leading up to the match, he replied bluntly, "No, not really. I’ve been ill all week." Cullen’s clearly irritated demeanor revealed much about the underlying issues he felt—stemming from how he perceived the media's treatment.
After the match, he vented backstage, stating, "Honestly, the media attention Wessel's got, again this is not a reflection on him. He seems like a fantastic kid, he's been caught up in a few things beforehand but he's served his time and he's held his hands up, like a lot haven’t." He referred to Nijman having served a ban for breaching betting rules, asserting this had colored perceptions heading back to their championship encounter.
Cullen went on to decry the media coverage surrounding him, saying, "I think the way I’ve been treated with the media and things like this – I know you guys have no control over the bookies – I’ve been shown no respect, so I won’t be showing any respect to any of you guys tonight. I’m going to go home. Cheers." The press conference ended abruptly as Cullen left, having already shown his displeasure by not addressing queries from journalists.
His performance, which was characterized by decisive and confident throws, contrasted sharply with the tension he felt at being overshadowed by his opponent's pre-match odds. Despite being 30 ranking places above Nijman, and acknowledging his own level of play, Cullen insisted he felt "not proud" of the win, which he felt was to be expected considering the circumstances.
Interestingly, Ian White, who is also competing, found humor amid the intensity of the competition. White, who recently beat Ritchie Edhouse, joked about his upcoming match against 17-year-old Luke Littler from Runcorn. He quipped, "Yeah, Runcorn's number two. I’m from Runcorn and I’m number one! Hopefully, it will be a beater game than what I played tonight." This light-hearted banter brings out the camaraderie and competitive spirit alive among the players.
Adding to the competitive vibe, Littler himself had just showcased his remarkable talent, mirroring the sentiments around youthful energy dazzling at the Darts Championship. He managed to average 100.85 during his own match and was just millimetres shy of completing what would have been a spectacular nine-dart finish during his 3-1 victory over Ryan Meikle.
The atmosphere at Alexandra Palace was electric, with fans pulling for both new talents and established players. Cullen's earlier frustration only emphasizes the pressures athletes face amid media scrutiny—a challenge they walk alongside their competitive spirits on the oche.
Despite Cullen's issues, the narrative of the championship continues, driven by stories of intense rivalries and budding future stars. Each round brings not only new encounters but the promise of unexpected outcomes, captivating the audience drawn to the world of darts. Who will seize the moment at this year's edition? Only time will tell, but the pressure remains high as the tournament progresses.
