Luke Littler withdraws from Players Championship event
Teen darts star Luke Littler was forced to withdraw from the penultimate Players Championship event of the season after being caught in traffic — leaving the rising sensation joking that it was “back to bed” instead of back to the oche, reports BritPanorama.
The 18-year-old, known to fans as The Nuke, had been scheduled to compete in ProTour 33 at the Robin Park Tennis Centre in Wigan on Monday morning. However, after missing the strict 11am registration deadline, Littler was disqualified from the day’s play.
At 11.06am, the teenager posted a light-hearted message on Instagram, writing: “Back to bed it is, wonder who they will call up.” Tournament rules require all players to sign in before the official start time, and organisers confirmed that missing the deadline meant automatic exclusion from the competition.
Despite the disappointment, Littler will face no consequences for the absence, having already qualified for next month’s £600,000 Players Championship Finals in Minehead. The setback comes just weeks after the Warrington-born prodigy stormed to victory at the previous Wigan event, defeating Dutch thrower Dennie Olde Kalter 8–2 in the final to secure the £15,000 winner’s cheque and confirm his place among the top 64 players on the PDC circuit.
Attention will now turn to the Players Championship final, with that tournament also due to take place in Wigan. Littler could meet world No 1 Luke Humphries, who continues to cling to his place at the top of the sport amid their ongoing rivalry.
The teenager has taken the darts world by storm since his sensational breakthrough run to the World Championship final at the end of 2023, where he announced himself as one of the sport’s most exciting new talents. This past year has seen Littler handle both triumph and scrutiny with maturity beyond his years, now preparing for what could be another huge opportunity in Minehead.
As the dust settles on this amusingly unfortunate incident, it serves as a timely reminder of the unpredictable nature of the competitive circuit. For Littler, the brief detour back home could very well translate to added focus and energy in the final push of a remarkable season.
