Luke Littler: Teenager suffers Players Championship 3 defeat to Callan Rydz in Leicester

Luke Littler beaten 6-4 in quarter-finals of Players Championship 3 against Callan Rydz; watch the Premier League Darts every Thursday night up until the Play-Offs at London’s O2 on Thursday May 23 – live on Sky Sports

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Gerwyn Price and Luke Littler played out an enthralling encounter in their quarter-final clash on Night Three of the Premier League in Glasgow

Luke Littler’s hopes of adding to his Players Championship success suffered a blow at Leicester’s Mattioli Arena on Monday with a quarter-final exit to Callan Rydz.

World Youth champion Littler, who won Players Championship 1 on debut last week, headed into the event having lost to Gerwyn Price in the quarter-finals of Premier League night three in Glasgow on Thursday.

The Warrington ace took on Rydz, who produced an astonishing comeback from 5-0 down to defeat Daryl Gurney 6-5, surviving four match darts in the process to set up a last-eight meeting with the 17-year-old.

• Stream Sky Sports without a contract through NOW
• Wayne Mardle: Luke Littler produces exciting darts but you don’t know what’s coming next
• Luke Littler’s darts schedule – where could he play in 2024?

Twitter This content is provided by Twitter, which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Twitter cookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options. Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Twitter cookies. To view this content you can use the button below to allow Twitter cookies for this session only. Enable Cookies Allow Cookies Once

‘The Riot’ continued where he left off by surging into a 3-1 lead with Littler appearing visibly frustrated.

An unconventional 113 in the seventh leg kept Littler in the contest but an 11-darter from Rydz put him on the cusp of victory.

Littler survived a match dart before landing a haymaker of a 158 finish to make Rydz serve it out, and his opponent duly obliged thanks to another stunning 11-darter to complete a 6-4 win, firing in five 180s and averaging over 103.

Littler recovered from 5-3 down in his opening match to deny Keane Barry, after the Irishman spurned five match darts in a dramatic last leg.

Twitter This content is provided by Twitter, which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Twitter cookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options. Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Twitter cookies. To view this content you can use the button below to allow Twitter cookies for this session only. Enable Cookies Allow Cookies Once

He was far from his best against Cameron Menzies as well, with ‘The Nuke’ winning 6-3 despite missing 13 darts at doubles.

Littler went 2-0 up then 3-2 down, before he reeled off four legs on the spin to close out the win against Scotland’s Menzies.

He eased into the last 16 after upping his average to 95.25 in a 6-2 success against Dutchman Kevin Doets to set up a mouth-watering encounter against Dirk van Duijvenbode, who saw off Chris Dobey 6-1 to progress.

However, it was Littler who won through 6-4 thanks to a stunning 145 checkout against ‘Aubergenius’, averaging 101.34 in the process before bowing out to an inspired Rydz.

Searle makes it third time lucky

Image: Having finished runner-up in the year's first two Players Championship events, it was third-time lucky for Ryan Searle

Ryan Searle claimed his first ProTour title this season at the third attempt, as he edges out Gary Anderson 8-7 in an epic contest in which both players averaged over 107 and landed eight 180s apiece.

‘The Flying Scotsman’ smashed the record for 180s at a ProTour event with 41 in total and he ended the day with a tournament average of 105.85, which included averages of 112, 111 and 109.

After losing in the final of Players Championship 1 and 2 Searle finally crossed the winning line against his practice partner.

Twitter This content is provided by Twitter, which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Twitter cookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options. Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Twitter cookies. To view this content you can use the button below to allow Twitter cookies for this session only. Enable Cookies Allow Cookies Once

Where does the Premier League head next?

Image: Michael van Gerwen is the seven-time Premier League champion

Premier League Darts now heads to the Newcastle’s Utilita Arena next Thursday night.

Price stars on Night Four as he takes on Michael van Gerwen in a repeat of last year’s final, while Littler faces Peter Wright, Michael Smith goes up against Nathan Aspinall and Rob Cross battles world champion and No 1 Luke Humphries.

Fixtures: Night Four, Newcastle’s Utilita Arena, Thursday February 22

Get Sky Sports on WhatsApp!

You can now start receiving messages and alerts for the latest breaking sports news, analysis, in-depth features and videos from our dedicated WhatsApp channel!

Find out more here…

2024 Premier League Darts schedule

Premier League Darts continues on Sky Sports on Thursday with Newcastle the next stop on the 17-week extravaganza all the way through to the Play-Offs at the O2 Arena in London on Thursday May 23. Stream Sky Sports Darts without a contract through NOW

Sourse: skysports.com