Luke Littler's 21-match winning streak came to an abrupt end at the hands of Gerwyn Price in the Bahrain Masters quarter-finals, marking a second consecutive year that the 19-year-old Englishman has been knocked out by the Welshman.
Littler, who had enjoyed a stellar run, initially thrashed veteran Paul Lim on his first return to the oche since retaining his world title earlier this month, showcasing his impressive form. However, he faltered in the crucial stages of the match against Price, ultimately falling short with an average score of 94.04 compared to Price's dominant display of 97.43.
Price capitalized on Littler's mistakes and won the match with a bullseye finish, establishing a decisive 4-1 lead before narrowly missing out on a third checkout over 100 points. He eventually sealed victory by hitting double ten, thereby advancing to the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, Nathan Aspinall also faced an early exit from the tournament as he was beaten 6-3 by Luke Humphries in the quarter-finals. Humphries failed to replicate Littler's earlier success and succumbed to the pressure of being up against a more experienced opponent.
Ultimately, it was Michael van Gerwen who claimed the Bahrain Masters title, emerging victorious over Gian van Veen in an all-Dutch final, winning 8-6 in the deciding leg. Van Gerwen demonstrated his expertise with precision, ultimately securing the championship and capping off an impressive display of skill throughout the tournament.
With Littler's loss, Price has broken the world number one for a second consecutive year, solidifying his position as the top-ranked player in the darts world.
Littler, who had enjoyed a stellar run, initially thrashed veteran Paul Lim on his first return to the oche since retaining his world title earlier this month, showcasing his impressive form. However, he faltered in the crucial stages of the match against Price, ultimately falling short with an average score of 94.04 compared to Price's dominant display of 97.43.
Price capitalized on Littler's mistakes and won the match with a bullseye finish, establishing a decisive 4-1 lead before narrowly missing out on a third checkout over 100 points. He eventually sealed victory by hitting double ten, thereby advancing to the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, Nathan Aspinall also faced an early exit from the tournament as he was beaten 6-3 by Luke Humphries in the quarter-finals. Humphries failed to replicate Littler's earlier success and succumbed to the pressure of being up against a more experienced opponent.
Ultimately, it was Michael van Gerwen who claimed the Bahrain Masters title, emerging victorious over Gian van Veen in an all-Dutch final, winning 8-6 in the deciding leg. Van Gerwen demonstrated his expertise with precision, ultimately securing the championship and capping off an impressive display of skill throughout the tournament.
With Littler's loss, Price has broken the world number one for a second consecutive year, solidifying his position as the top-ranked player in the darts world.
So now Luke Littler's all-of-a-sudden out of form? I mean, I know Gerwyn Price is on fire right now 
but it feels like he's been setting up these matches with these big comebacks. Like, what was the odds on him beating Littler twice in a row? It don't add up 
and I'm starting to think there's some shady stuff going on behind the scenes... like maybe someone's trying to create this narrative that Gerwyn's the only one who can beat these young English players 
i mean littler had an amazing run and all but gerwyn just kept him on his toes...or should i say, his dartboard? 
anyway its kinda sad for littler that he got knocked out again...does anyone know how old gerwyn is tho?
, can't believe Luke Littler's 21-match winning streak got snapped! Gerwyn Price is on fire 
. And congrats to Michael van Gerwen for winning the Bahrain Masters 
! That Dutch guy is a legend 
.
gerwyn is on fire 
but congrats michael 
he played an amazing game against gian 
and that title was well deserved 
it's like price is on fire 
and that's where things get really interesting...
... and Gerwyn Price is on fire 
.
Price is on a roll man and I gotta give him props for his skills, that bullseye finish was SICK 
. Michael van Gerwen winning the whole thing is awesome tho, dude's got game 
. Gerwyn Price is definitely on another level right now 
. anyway, congrats to Michael van Gerwen for winning the Bahrain Masters title 
. Nathan Aspinall got knocked out by Luke Humphries, what's going on with these youngsters? Michael van Gerwen took home the Bahrain Masters title though, and fair play to him 
, that was a dominating display 
! michael van gerwen is the real MVP tho, taking home that title in an all-dutch final 
. And you know what's even more suspicious? This is the second year in a row Littler gets knocked out by Price... is it just coincidence or is there something more going on behind the scenes? 
Luke Littler was on fire 
what a heartbreaking loss for Littler 
and congrats to Michael van Gerwen on his Bahrain Masters title 
it's like, you gotta respect the top players like Price and Van Gerwen 
, and it's kinda surprising Luke Littler didn't do better against him this time around. I mean, he was on fire earlier, beating Paul Lim like a gong, but his form dropped off pretty sharply when it mattered most. Aspinall getting beat by Humphries too is just another nail in the coffin for England 
Gerwyn Price just pounced on his mistakes like a snake on a rat... or something. That 21-match winning streak is gonna come crashing down someday.
And what about Nathan Aspinall? I don't get why he got beat by Luke Humphries like that... pressure or something?
Still can't believe Price broke the world number one streak again, tho... this guy's on a roll!
97.43? That's some next level stuff! 
️ dont worry, we all go through 'em 
u've still got 20 matches to show for that winning streak, not bad at all 
. Still, gotta admit, it's tough to see him go down like that, especially against a competitor like Gerwyn Price who just keeps on pushing the limits 
. Can't win 'em all, right? At least he got to show off his skills against Luke Humphries 
. 