Luke Littler carded one of the lowest averages of his career and won a 30-dart leg during a shock first-round exit to Robert Grundy at Players Championship 13 at Milton Keynes.
The Premier League champion, playing for the first time since his Poland Darts Masters success, struggled to a 79.02 average and only posted one maximum in the best-of-11 contest at the Marshall Arena.
Littler lost the first two legs but broke back in the third and fired an 86 finish in the next to level the contest, before moving ahead after coming through a remarkable 30-dart fifth leg where both players missed numerous looks at double.
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Luke Littler won the Premier League in his debut campaign after defeating world number one Luke Humphries 11-7 in the final
A hold in the next gave the teenager a two-leg cushion before Grundy won the next three, with Littler needing an 86 checkout in the 10th to take the contest to a final-leg decider.
Grundy opened with a maximum and took out tops for a 16-dart leg to hold throw and complete a shock victory, seeing the world No 116 progress to the last 64 and leave Litter heading for an early exit.
The double-header in Milton Keynes is the last chance for players to secure their place at the Betfred World Matchplay, with the 32-player field confirmed after the conclusion of Players Championship 14 on Wednesday.
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Who will win the Betfred World Matchplay? Watch live from July 13 on Sky Sports!
The top 16 players from the PDC Order of Merit will be seeded for July’s showpiece event in Blackpool, and they will be joined by 16 qualifiers from the 12-month ProTour Order of Merit.
Gary Anderson will head up the 16 qualifiers from the one-year ProTour Order of Merit, with Littler already confirmed a place in the Winter Gardens line-up after his impressive season.
More to follow…
Watch the Betfred World Matchplay from July 13-21 at the Winter Gardens, Blackpool live on Sky Sports. Watch the best darts live on Sky Sports or stream with NOW.
