Luke Littler was a surprise casualty in the first round of Players Championship 11, while Michael Van Gerwen and Luke Humphries joined him in failing to progress beyond the early stages.
The world champion and current Premier League leader was beaten 6-3 by 22-year-old Irishman Dylan Slevin, ranked 61st in the world.
Littler averaged just 90.11 compared to his opponent's 92.74 at the tournament in Leicester. He never quite got going in the match, and exited in the first round of a tournament for just the fourth time in his career. It compounds a difficult run of form for ‘the Nuke’, who has now lost three consecutive matches.
The loss comes just months after Littler became PDC champion for the second time, beating world No3 Michael van Gerwen in the final.
But the Dutchman joined Littler on the opening-round scrapheap, losing out on a deciding leg to go down 6-5 to his countryman Maik Kuivenhoven.
The three-time world champion has been struggling with injury of late. He was forced to withdraw from last week’s Premier League Darts night in Berlin and missed the International Darts Open. He is reported to have pulled a muscle while trying on shirts for a sponsor, after which he ‘could barely move his neck. ’
Gerwyn Price also fell at the first hurdle, the Welshman bowing out 6-4 against countryman Rob Owen.
Out in the second round was world number one Luke Humphries, who beat Michael Mansell in the opening round before falling to Brett Claydon in the second, losing 5-6.
The Players Championship winner receives a prize purse worth £15,000. With three favourites now out, it will be anyone’s game.
Additional reporting by PA.
