Luke Littler suffered his first loss following his recent victory at the PDC World Darts Championship, exiting at the quarter-final stage of the Bahrain Darts Masters. Gerwyn Price, a former world champion, defeated Littler with a convincing 6-2 score in their opening match.
This defeat halted Littler’s remarkable winning streak, which had been ongoing since October 2025, with his previous loss against Matt Campbell in a World Players Championship event. As a result, Littler missed out on the opportunity to compete for a potential £30,000 prize, part of the total £100,000 prize pool for the Bahrain Darts Masters.
Despite starting strong by defeating Paul Lim 6-1 in the first round, Littler showcased new darts featuring a unique nuke symbol design, courtesy of a recent partnership with Target Darts. However, during his match against Price, Littler struggled with the new darts initially and reverted to a more conventional set mid-game.
Price’s victory over Littler came as a much-needed triumph after a challenging 2025 season, including an unexpected early exit at the PDC World Darts Championship. The win over Littler will likely boost Price’s confidence as he prepares for future competitions, including the upcoming Premier League.
Before his return to Bahrain, Price mentioned taking a brief break from darts following his disappointing performance at the Worlds. Despite the break, Price remains focused on the opportunity to face Michael van Gerwen in the semi-final, aiming to secure the coveted trophy and an additional £30,000 prize.
Meanwhile, Littler will swiftly return to action at the Saudi Arabian Darts Masters next week, alongside most of the players from the Bahrain tournament. Notably, two contestants from Bahrain will be replaced by representatives from the Asian tour for the upcoming event.
The Saudi Arabian Darts Masters will introduce a unique incentive with the potential for a doubled prize of $200,000 if a player achieves a ten-darter by hitting a bullseye after landing a nine-darter. This additional reward aims to motivate players to achieve the rare feat, enhancing the competition’s excitement for both participants and fans.