Luke Littler experienced his first loss following his recent victory at the PDC World Darts Championship, as he was defeated in the quarter-final of the Bahrain Darts Masters by former world champion Gerwyn Price. This defeat marks the end of Littler’s winning streak, which had been ongoing since October 2025, with his previous loss occurring against Matt Campbell in a World Players Championship event.
The loss means that Littler misses out on the chance to win a potential £30,000 prize in the Bahrain Darts Masters, which boasts an overall prize pool of £100,000. Despite his defeat, Littler had a strong start in the tournament, defeating Paul Lim 6-1 in the first round. Notably, Littler showcased new darts featuring a unique nuke symbol design after signing a significant deal with Target Darts.
In his match against Price, Littler initially struggled with his new darts and eventually switched back to a more conventional setup. However, Price capitalized on the situation by delivering an impressive performance, maintaining a high scoring pace with a 97.4 average and a remarkable 60% success rate on doubles.
For Price, the victory over Littler comes as a confidence boost after a challenging 2025 season, including an unexpected early exit at the PDC World Darts Championship. Price’s win sets him up for a semi-final clash against Michael van Gerwen, offering him the opportunity to compete for the championship title and an additional £30,000 prize.
Meanwhile, Littler will soon return to action at the upcoming Saudi Arabian Darts Masters, scheduled for January 19th and 20th. The event will see most players from the Bahrain Darts Masters competing again, with two new participants from the Asian tour joining the lineup. Additionally, the tournament introduces a unique incentive for players to aim for a ten-darter, where hitting a bullseye after the final double in a potential nine-darter could double the prize money to $200,000 (£152,000).
Players are now motivated by the chance to claim this substantial prize, adding an extra layer of excitement to the upcoming competition.