Luke Littler has attributed his Premier League Darts loss in Dublin to a bizarre case of soapy hands, after the world champion crashed out in his opening match on night three. The 18-year-old was defeated 6-4 by Gerwyn Price, despite averaging close to a ton, and was seen hurling his darts case down the stage stairs in frustration.
Littler, who had trailed 4-1 in legs before a brief resurgence, later took to Instagram to address the defeat. 'Not the way I wanted to follow up the win last week but loads more darts to play,' he told his 1.8 million followers, adding that he appreciated the support from the Dublin crowd.
The teenager's frustration boiled over during the match when he sarcastically told the audience to 'calm down' after they jeered him during a pause before an outshot. Price, who went on to win the night, remarked that the hostile crowd was a welcome change, as he typically faces similar treatment wherever he plays.
Price's victory moved him to second in the Premier League table with seven points, behind leader Luke Humphries on ten. Michael van Gerwen is third with six points, while Littler sits fourth with five. The action continues next Thursday in Exeter.
