LUKE ‘The Nuke’ Littler’s hopes of winning Players Championship 2 in Wigan were dashed by one of his Premier League rivals.

The Warrington 18-year-old superstar was beaten 6-5 in a thrilling topsy-turvy quarter-final contest with Welsh ace Gerwyn Price.

World champion Littler produced a stunning 167 checkout to cut the deficit to 2-1 but after squaring the score he then fell 4-2 behind.

‘The Nuke’ took the next three legs and was on throw for the match but Price finished on 92 to take the contest all the way.

And The Iceman was able to hold his nerve and seal his ticket to the semi-finals with a 14-dart victory.

Both players averaged over a ton and Price also ended Littler's hopes in the quarter-finals of the Bahrain Darts Masters last month.

First up for ‘The Nuke’ earlier in the day was Croatian Pero Ljubic, who earned his 2025 tour card through Q-School.

Littler trailed 4-1 but found another gear to win five successive legs and progress 6-4.

In doing so, he averaged 102.59, threw six 180s and achieved checkouts of 129 and 130.

He also trailed in the second round (last 64) but at 5-4 down he forced a last-leg decider against 24-year-old former World Youth Champion Bradley Brooks from Blackburn.

Littler delivered when it mattered most and again he threw six 180s and enjoyed a 102 checkout.

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• This is how Luke Littler performed in Players Championship 1

That handed him a last-32 encounter with 24-year-old Austrian Rusty-Jake Rodriguez and this time he hit the front early, establishing a 3-0 lead.

But Rodriguez came firing back with two leg wins, only for ‘The Nuke’ to take the next three for a 6-2 triumph while averaging 98.28 and rustling up checkouts of 105 and 100.

Littler trailed 2-0 and 4-2 against 24-year-old Dutchman Wessel Nijman – a Players Championship winner in Wigan last year - in the last 16 but his scoring average was at a day’s best 104.44 and he progressed to the quarter-finals by pocketing four straight legs.

Players Championship 3 will take place in Rosmalen, The Netherlands, on Monday, February 17.

'The Nuke' will next be in action in Premier League Night 2 in Glasgow on Thursday.