Luke Littler Stages Epic Comeback to Defeat Gerwyn Price and Reach 2025 Premier League Darts Final
In a thrilling semi-final at the 2025 Premier League Darts Play-Offs on May 29, 2025, Luke Littler battled back from a 6-4 deficit to defeat Gerwyn Price 10-6 at London’s O2 Arena, securing his spot in the final. The 18-year-old darts prodigy, fueled by a 104.00 average and clutch finishes, outlasted Price’s early fireworks to set up a title clash with either Luke Humphries or Nathan Aspinall, chasing a £275,000 prize and a second straight Premier League crown.
**Littler’s Resilient Turnaround**
The sold-out 20,000-strong O2 crowd, initially booing Price before he even appeared, was treated to a rollercoaster. Price, riding his new walk-on song “To Meet You” by Myles Smith, seized control with a Hollywood 132 checkout (bull, bull, D16), breaking Littler’s throw to lead 6-4 at the second break. “Price with a Hollywood 132 finish!” exclaimed observers, noting his early dominance. But Littler, the defending champion, found another gear. “100, 180, 180 for Littler in his first nine darts!” marked his surge, as he unleashed back-to-back maximums to level the score with a D16 finish on Price’s throw.
Littler’s momentum grew as Price’s doubles faltered, including a costly bust on D15 when aiming for D20. A pivotal 86 checkout (T18, D16) gave Littler the break, and he sealed the win with a 41 checkout on D16, capitalizing on Price’s missed 170 opportunity. Littler’s 75% checkout rate on big finishes and relentless scoring overwhelmed Price, whose average dipped after a strong start. “Littler just demolished Price in that second session. Upped his scoring and then finished a little better,” one report noted, highlighting his clinical edge.
**Price’s Missed Opportunity**
Price, 40, started with fire, breaking Littler’s throw with a D7 finish in a nervy leg that saw seven breaks. His 170 and 120 checkouts in earlier 2025 wins, like Dublin against Humphries, showed his pedigree, but missed doubles and fading scoring cost him. Despite hitting two nine-darters in the league phase, including one against Littler in Manchester, Price couldn’t sustain his 132-checkout brilliance. The crowd, initially hostile, warmed to his flair, but Littler’s pressure silenced their support. “Price missed chances and dropped off the pace,” observers remarked, as the Welshman left the stage frustrated.
**Littler’s Road to the Final**
Littler, the top seed with a record 45 points and six nightly wins, including a 6-3 Sheffield triumph over Humphries, was buoyed by the O2’s adoration. His 2025 season, with a 103.00 average, a Cardiff nine-darter, and checkouts like 155, made him the favorite. Price’s 7-2 seasonal edge, including a 6-3 Nottingham win, loomed large, but Littler’s new darts—“I like having a little swap and change”—and taunt of Price’s Sheffield “mistake” (a 5-1 collapse against Chris Dobey) fueled his fire. His emotional 2025 World Championship win, where he cried, “Look at him crying there!” contrasted with his steely O2 display.
**Stakes and Context**
The best-of-19-leg semi-final saw Littler exploit Price’s Sheffield slip, which dropped him to fourth and into Littler’s path. The final, a best-of-21-leg battle, offers Littler a shot at joining Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen as back-to-back champions, following his 2024 nine-darter-aided win over Humphries. Price, chasing his first Premier League title, fell short despite nightly wins in Dublin, Nottingham, and Liverpool, where he averaged 104.43.
**Sports Parallels**
Littler’s comeback mirrors Fallon Sherrock’s health-driven resolve, Alex de Minaur’s ATP reform push, and Alexander Zverev’s bold watch wager. Like Gerwyn Price’s crowd defiance or Emma Raducanu’s reinvention, Littler’s rise under pressure captivates, echoing his tears and taunts.
**Conclusion**
Luke Littler overcame a 6-4 deficit to beat Gerwyn Price 10-6 in the 2025 Premier League Darts Play-Off semi-final on May 29, 2025, reaching the O2 final with a 104.00 average and D16 heroics. Facing Humphries or Aspinall for £275,000, Littler’s triumph over Price’s 132 checkout and early lead cements his stardom. Like Sherrock, de Minaur, Zverev, Price, and Raducanu, his resilience shines. Watch the final live on Sky Sports at 7:00 PM BST.
