Luke Littler breaks streak of different ProTour winners with second career Players Championship title after Nijman thriller

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.

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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