Darts Drama Unfolds: Slevin Stuns Littler in Players Championship First-Round Thriller

Stunning Opening Round Shakeup

Reigning world champion Luke Littler (17) suffered a shock 6-3 defeat against Irish dark horse Dylan Slevin in Thursday's Players Championship 11 opener at Leicester's Mattioli Arena. The teenage sensation, who captured global attention with his Alexandra Palace triumph in January, struggled to find rhythm against the world No. 61-ranked underdog.

Match Breakdown:

• Slevin's Dominant Start: The 22-year-old County Kildare thrower raced to a 4-1 lead
• Littler's Brief Rally: World No. 5 won legs 6-7 to trail 5-3
• Clutch Finishing: Slevin sealed victory with two pressure-packed double-top finishes (92.74 match average)
• Statistical Contrast: Littler's 90.11 average marked his lowest in 2024 PDC competitions

Other Major Upsets

Three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen fell 6-5 to Dutch compatriot Maik Kuivenhoven in a last-leg decider, while 2021 titleholder Gerwyn Price suffered a 6-4 defeat to Welsh rival Rob Owen. World No. 1 Luke Humphries exited in Round 2 against Brett Claydon.

Tournament Context:

• 34-event Pro Tour season culminates in November's Minehead Finals
• Players Championship events carry crucial ranking points for World Matchplay qualification
• Slevin's victory boosts his provisional World Championship qualification hopes

"When you beat the world champion, it's massive for confidence," Slevin told PDC.tv. "I've been working on finishing under pressure - tonight it clicked."

Road to Minehead

With 23 events remaining, the race intensifies for:

1. Automatic World Championship spots
2. Premier League Darts wildcard consideration
3. World Matchplay seeding positions

Next Stop: Players Championship 12 continues Friday at the same venue, featuring:

• Reigning UK Open champion Dimitri Van den Bergh
• Five-time world champ Raymond van Barneveld
• Resurgent 2022 Grand Slam winner Michael Smith