The teenage sensation made an impressive debut in the Players Championship event of 2024, securing a victory in the opening match. He achieved a nine-dart finish in an earlier round, culminating in an 8-7 win against Ryan Searle in a thrilling final. However, his momentum faltered in the second round on Tuesday, as he was defeated 6-5 by Radek Szaganski.
During the match, Szaganski gained a lead of 5-3 after a run of three consecutive legs. Even though the teen sensation managed to equalize the score at 5-5, Szaganski maintained his composure and won the deciding leg, securing the victory. This surprising defeat left fans in awe, with one declaring, “Bus driver stopped the Nuke,” and another expressing, “[Lost] To a bus driver from Cork, this is why we love darts.”
As he continues his journey, the young talent will be taking on the top names in the sport in the Premier League, including Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwin, Michael Smith, Rob Cross, Gerwyn Price, Peter Wright, and Nathan Aspinall. His rise is the focus of a special Premier League preview, which also includes insight from James Wade, interviews with legends and current players, and information about the tournament. Looking ahead, the question of whether Littler will qualify for the World Matchplay arises.
With approximately 13 or 14 ProTour events before the Matchplay, he aims to secure a strong performance in order to qualify for every opportunity.
