Luke Littler breaks streak of different ProTour winners with second career Players Championship title after Nijman thriller
PDCWednesday, 31 July 2024 at 19:39
Luke Littler has added to his PDC title tally with his second ProTour ranking win at Players Championship 15 in Milton Keynes. He defeated Wessel Nijman who continued his Development Tour excellence but succumbed to 'The Nuke' 8-6 in the end.
He hit five 180's and a 99 average in a match that was full of breaks of throw. Nijman finally cracked though and Littler surged towards the end to complete the win against his nemesis on the Development Tour last year. He also is the first player to win two ProTours after 14 different winners.
Littler started the tie with a 62 checkout and hit a 180, 134 and double 10 for 2-0. Littler was left on double 20 but Nijman hit a 90 checkout on the bull to make it 2-1 down and he was throwing to level.
Littler missed darts to break back and Nijman made it all square at 2-2. More darts came and went for Littler and Nijman thumped in a wonderful 160 checkout for 3-2.
A 44 checkout saw Nijman make it 4-2. But just as it looked like he was in the ascendancy, Littler hit an 81 checkout on double 15 for 4-4. But was broken straight back by the Dutchman who was clinical on 64 hitting double 16 for 5-4 up.
Nijman missed 107 on double 16 and Littler broke again for 5-5. But again the Dutchman broke to go two away from the title. Nijman missed two darts from 60 to go one away and Littler made it 6-6 with another break. He was throwing himself to go one away.
He finally held with a 50 checkout for 7-6 and he sealed the win as Nijman's throw continued to go array.
Results Players Championship 15
Last 32
Cameron Menzies 6 | 1 Dave Chisnall
Stefan Bellmont 6 | 5 Adam Gawlas
Lee Evans 6 | 5 Benjamin Reus
Damon Heta 6 | 0 Ritchie Edhouse
Darren Beveridge 6 | 2 Joe Cullen
Wessel Nijman 6 | 3 Graham Hall
Gary Anderson 6 | 1 Andrew Gilding
Raymond van Barneveld 6 | 4 Berry van Peer
Rhys Griffin 6 | 2 Jeffrey De Zwaan
Luke Littler 6 | 1 Jonny Clayton
Alan Soutar 6 | 3 Andy Baetens
Krzysztof Ratajski 6 | 2 Robert Owen
Luke Humphries 6 | 3 Callan Rydz
Chris Dobey 6 | 4 Jermaine Wattimena
Danny Noppert 6 | 3 Scott Williams
Mike De Decker 6 | 4 Dylan Slevin
Last 16
Stefan Bellmont 6 | 4 Cameron Menzies
Damon Heta 6 | 3 Lee Evans
Wessel Nijman 6 | 2 Darren Beveridge
Gary Anderson 6 | 4 Raymond van Barneveld
Luke Littler 6 | 4 Rhys Griffin
Krzysztof Ratajski 6 | 4 Alan Soutar
Chris Dobey 6 | 4 Luke Humphries
Mike De Decker 6 | 3 Danny Noppert
Quarter-Finals
Stefan Bellmont (90.84) 1 | 6 (112.04) Damon Heta
Wessel Nijman (96.53) 6 | 5 (101.66) Gary Anderson
Luke Littler (101.68) 6 | 4 (95.61) Krzysztof Ratajski
Chris Dobey (105.41) 6 | 1 (90.16) Mike De Decker
Semi-Finals
Damon Heta (104.56) 5 | 7 (99.83) Wessel Nijman
Luke Littler (103.32) 7 | 2 (100.77) Chris Dobey
Final
Luke Littler (99.66) 8 | 6 (91.61) Wessel Nijman
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