Luke Littler handed major setback after incredible defeat at Bahrain Masters

Luke Littler faced his first major setback after being defeated by Gerwyn Price in the Bahrain Darts Masters quarter-finals.

At the iconic BIC Dome, where he won his first senior title as a 16-year-old a year ago, 'Luke the Nuke' bid farewell to childhood with a 6-2 defeat by 'the Iceman' in the Bahrain Darts Masters quarter-finals. This defeat, his first as world champion, also marked his last competitive appearance before turning 18.

On Tuesday, Littler will celebrate his birthday at home, reflecting on the turn of events at the Persian Gulf. Despite averaging 105.12 and hitting five maximums, the world No. 2 was unable to overcome Price, who averaged an impressive 115.31 and narrowly missed double 12 for a nine-darter.

Price had warned that he intended to disrupt the party, and he lived up to his word. Over the best of 11 legs, Littler never stood a chance once he fell behind 4-1 as Price hit seven 180s and silenced critics who claimed he was lucky to retain his Premier League place.

This marks Price's third consecutive win against the Warrington prodigy, having previously beaten him 7-6 in New York last June and 8-1 in Australia two months later. Now, the Iceman has become Luke the Nuke's nemesis.

For Littler, who has his sights set on splashing some of his £1.5 million prize money on an A-Class Mercedes as "a present to myself" for his birthday, the journey doesn't get any easier. He's gearing up for the Dutch Darts Masters on Thursday, ready to face Michael van Gerwen — the three-times world champion he trounced 7-3 at the Ally Pally final — once again.

Meanwhile, Price, whose form in 2024 suffered due to being "distracted" by his business interests away from the oche, is rediscovering the confidence that