Luke Littler's Nine-Darter Triumph and the End of a 19-Match Winning Streak

Luke Littler made headlines at the Players Championship Five with a stunning nine-darter, but his remarkable 19-match winning streak came to an end in a dramatic semi-final clash. The 18-year-old world champion achieved the perfect leg in the sixth leg of his 6-5 second-round victory over Adam Hunt in Leicester.

Littler showcased his resilience by overturning a 4-0 deficit to defeat Dirk van Duijvenbode by the same scoreline. He then delivered a masterclass with an average of 122.96 in a 6-1 thrashing of Damon Heta to secure his place in the semi-finals.

However, Littler's incredible run was halted by Gian van Veen in a nail-biting 7-6 semi-final loss. This marked Littler's first defeat since his 6-4 loss to Luke Humphries in the Premier League last month.

In the final, Van Veen faced Joe Cullen in another thrilling encounter that went down to the wire. Cullen emerged victorious with an 8-7 win, describing it as the best win of his career. "When you're slipping down the rankings and doubting yourself, there is nothing worse in darts," said Cullen. "I'm there for a reason, but I am doing everything I can to get myself back up those rankings."

Elsewhere in the tournament, Gary Anderson also hit a nine-darter during his 6-5 first-round win over Ryan Joyce, but was later eliminated by Rob Owen in the last 16.