Reality check for Luke Littler as Gary Anderson triumphs in Players Championship
17-year-old Littler was beaten in the second round of the tournament on Tuesday night
Luke Littler failed to follow up his stunning Players Championship debut as he fell to a second round defeat in the second tournament in Wigan on Tuesday.
Littler, who had hit a nine-dart finish on his way to winning the title on Monday, was pipped 6-5 by Radek Szaganski.
The teenage sensation had looked set to launch back-to-back assaults on the final stages after opening with an impressive 6-4 win over experienced former UK Open winner Danny Noppert.
Former world champion Gary Anderson won the title on Tuesday with an 8-5 win over Ryan Searle, the same player whom Littler had beaten in the final on Monday.
Anderson was on blistering form, recording a career-high 117.12 average in his first round win over Andy Baetens and missing double 12 for a nine-darter on three occasions during the day.
“Yesterday I felt like a kid at a new school, I was nervous but today I felt more settled and it showed in my performances,” Anderson told PDC.tv.
“It’s been a long day and I’m happy to come out on top against a great player in Ryan.”
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