Luke Littler loses AGAIN as world champion suffers shock back-to-back defeats

In the high-octane universe of professional darts, where fortunes flip faster than a poorly aimed treble 20, even the brightest stars can find themselves grounded by the oche’s unforgiving gaze. Just days after etching his name deeper into the sport’s pantheon with a masterful World Grand Prix triumph, 18-year-old sensation Luke Littler—the reigning PDC World Champion and world No. 2—has endured a pair of jolting defeats that have sent ripples through the darts community. The Warrington whirlwind, affectionately dubbed “The Nuke” for his explosive scoring power, first tasted upset in the semi-finals of the PDC World Youth Championship on Monday, falling in a last-leg nail-biter to Beau Greaves. Barely 24 hours later, on Tuesday at the Robin Park Leisure Centre in Wigan, he crashed out of the opening round of Players Championship 31, succumbing 6-2 to the unheralded Ritchie Edhouse. For a teenager who’s amassed seven major titles in 2025 alone, including the World Championship, UK Open, World Matchplay, and now the Grand Prix, this double whammy feels like a plot twist in an otherwise unstoppable saga.

The highs preceding these lows were stratospheric. On Sunday evening, under the bright lights of Leicester’s Mattioli Arena, Littler dismantled world No. 1 Luke Humphries 6-1 in the World Grand Prix final, pocketing £120,000 and his fourth crown of the year. Averaging a blistering 107.4, he peppered the board with two 10-dart legs and came within a whisker of a nine-darter—bust only by a double 12 miss that had the crowd gasping. Humphries, the defending champion and a titan of the floor, could muster just a 92.78 average, his resistance crumbling under Littler’s relentless barrage. “I’ve just got to keep chucking away and put as much pressure as I can on Luke,” Humphries had reflected earlier in the tournament, a sentiment that proved prophetic in reverse. Littler’s post-match glow was infectious; he quipped about his immediate plans with boyish enthusiasm: “I’ll head to the World Youths, see everyone and have a bit of fun. I don’t think anyone is going to be my friend but it’s 20 minutes up the road and I will try my best. I could have had the day off, but why not? Play the World Youth, then two ProTours in Wigan and have the weekend off.” It was classic Littler—fearless, fun-loving, and utterly committed to the grind that has ballooned his earnings past £1 million this year.

Monday’s World Youth Championship in Wigan promised lighthearted redemption. Eligible until age 24, Littler—the 2023 winner who edged Gian van Veen 6-4 in that final—entered as the runaway favorite, his junior exploits already legendary. His path to the semis was a mix of dominance and drama. Round-robin victories over Jeffrey Keen, Alexander Thorvaldsson, and Matthias Moors set a serene tone, but the last 16 against Charlie Manby turned tense. Trailing 5-3 and staring down match darts, Littler summoned vintage grit, reeling off three straight legs for a 6-5 escape that left spectators breathless. The quarters were a rout: a 6-1 demolition of Dutch prospect Jamai van den Herik, his darts landing with surgical precision. Yet, fate had other ideas in the semi-final against Greaves, the 21-year-old Doncaster dynamo and three-time WDF Women’s World Champion.

What ensued was a thriller for the ages, a 6-5 decider that showcased darts at its most electric. Greaves, no stranger to mixed-gender fireworks—having pushed Littler to the brink at Players Championship 24 in August with an 11-dart clincher—seized an early 2-1 lead. Littler countered with three on the bounce to forge ahead, only for Greaves to level at 4-4 and then 5-5. In the finale, she broke with an 11-dart leg and iced an 84 checkout in two darts, stranding Littler on 32 after 12. Despite his 107.4 average edging her 105, Greaves’ composure prevailed, marking her as the first woman to reach the World Youth final—a historic nod to pioneers like Fallon Sherrock. Littler, gracious in defeat, took to Instagram: “I had two 10-dart legs, missed double 12 for a nine and still couldn’t win. Fair play to Beau. All the best in Minehead. Some talent.” His words not only saluted her skill but ignited broader conversations on gender barriers, especially after he swatted a troll’s sexist slur—”We don’t need this. Women should not compete with men, no matter how good they are”—with a curt “Are you high?” Greaves now eyes the November 23 final at Butlin’s Minehead Resort against defending champion van Veen, a £12,000 prize dangling amid the symbolism.

If Monday’s loss stung as an underdog upset, Tuesday’s was a humbling reality check. In the cauldron of Players Championship 31—a Pro Tour floor event feeding the £500,000 Players Championship Finals—Littler drew Edhouse, a 41-year-old journeyman ranked outside the top 64, known more for his “Madhouse” moniker than major upsets. What followed was a mismatch in momentum: Edhouse stormed to a 2-0 lead, his second leg sealed with a staggering 136.64 average in just 11 darts—a sequence of 140, 140, 81 for the finish that had jaws dropping. Littler, averaging 98.58 to Edhouse’s 100.12, clawed a leg back but couldn’t stem the tide, dropping the next three for a 6-2 exit. Uncharacteristically adrift on doubles (missing key ones that prolonged Edhouse’s breaks), The Nuke cut a frustrated figure, his post-match demeanor a far cry from Leicester’s elation. Edhouse, reveling in the scalp, beamed: “I’ve just got to keep chucking away and put as much pressure as I can on Luke.” It echoed Humphries’ pre-final mantra, underscoring how even elites falter under scrutiny.

These back-to-back blows come at a curious crossroads for Littler. Self-managing since his recent split from ZXF Sports—thanking founder Martin Foulds for five formative years in a heartfelt post—he’s navigating uncharted autonomy, backed by family and sponsors like Target Darts. His 2025 haul is staggering: four majors, a Premier League crown (£275,000), and whispers of £20 million in decade-long earnings potential from endorsements and media deals. Yet, this mini-slump invites scrutiny. Is it fatigue from a schedule that’s seen him conquer the world at 18? Overconfidence after Humphries’ thrashing? Or simply darts’ capricious nature, where a 136 average can blindside anyone? Pundits point to Greaves’ win as a wake-up call—her Development Tour runner-up spot earning a 2026-27 Tour Card, albeit with a ban from women’s events—highlighting the sport’s rising parity.

As Wigan’s echoes fade, Littler dusts off for more Pro Tour action this week, with the European Championship and Players Championship Finals on the horizon. Greaves’ Minehead date looms large, a beacon of progress in a male-heavy realm. For The Nuke, these defeats aren’t derailments but detours—reminders that even nukes need recalibration. In a calendar crammed with majors, his resilience shines brightest. After all, the boy who turned pro at 16 has already rewritten records; a pair of potholes won’t dim his trajectory. As he eyes redemption, one truth endures: in darts, the board resets every leg, and Littler’s quiver remains darts’ sharpest arrow.

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*