“Fell off the rails after… that cost me the match” – Gerwyn Price laments key crucial moment after loss to Luke Littler in Premier League playoffs
**Gerwyn Price Laments Crucial Missed Darts in Premier League Darts Playoff Loss to Luke Littler**
Gerwyn Price pinpointed a pivotal moment in his 10-7 semi-final loss to Luke Littler at the 2025 Premier League Darts Playoffs on May 29, 2025, at London’s O2 Arena, saying, “I fell off the rails after… that cost me the match,” per Express.co.uk. The Welshman rued missing two match darts against Chris Dobey in the prior week’s quarter-final, which relegated him to fourth in the standings and set up a tougher semi-final against Littler. Price’s frustration, coupled with Littler’s resilience, mirrors emotional moments in other sports, like Novak Djokovic’s reflections on Rafael Nadal’s retirement.
**Price’s Key Moment and Match Breakdown**
Price told MyBettingSites.com that his 6-5 loss to Dobey, where he squandered a 5-1 lead and missed darts at double 10, was the turning point: “If I’d won that game, I’d have been third and faced Aspinall instead. That cost me the match against Littler,” per Express.co.uk. Against Littler, Price led 6-4, averaging 95.37 with five 180s, but Littler rallied, posting a 104.64 average, a 128 checkout, and 47.6% double accuracy (10/21) to win six of the final seven legs, per PDCResults on X. Sky Sports’ Stuart Pyke noted Littler’s comeback from 6-4 down as “darting drama,” per @stuartpykesport. Price’s 123 bullseye finish earlier, per SkySports.com, wasn’t enough as Littler’s 144 and 127 checkouts shifted momentum, per ESPN.com.**Price’s Mental and Tactical Struggles**
Price, who has won seven of 13 career matches against Littler, admitted to GBNews.com that his confidence waned after the Dobey miss: “I was in control, but one mistake snowballed,” per. His animated demeanor, seen in his Dublin Night 3 win over Littler (6-4), faltered under pressure, per SkySports.com. Littler’s psychological edge, joking about checking his watch after a prior win, per DailyMail.co.uk, contrasted with Price’s frustration, reminiscent of his 2019 social media backlash comments, per Metro.co.uk. Jonny Clayton’s pre-match backing of Price, predicting a Welsh victory, per SkySports.com, didn’t materialize as Littler’s 75% double success in key legs proved decisive, per SkySports.com.[](https://www.gbnews.com/sport/darts/gerwyn-price-luke-littler-premier-league-darts-play-off)[](https://www.skysports.com/darts/news/12288/13313404/premier-league-darts-2025-gerwyn-price-beats-luke-littler-luke-humphries-and-nathan-aspinall-to-claim-night-three-victory)[](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/darts/article-14596893/Gerwyn-Price-nine-darter-Premier-League-Darts-Luke-Littler.html)
**Littler’s Resilience and Context**
Littler, the defending champion, topped the league with 45 points and six nightly wins, per Yardbarker.com. His semi-final performance, with eight 180s, echoed his 115.96 average against Luke Humphries in Aberdeen, per ESPN.com. Despite a foam finger incident and draft discussion disrupting focus, Littler’s comeback mirrored his recovery from a 6-4 deficit against Price in Nottingham, per BBC.co.uk. His emotional response post-final loss to Humphries (11-8), saying, “I’m glad it’s over,” per Express.co.uk, underscored the pressure, supported by Faith Millar, akin to Price’s reliance on his Chippy 501 takeaway for mental balance, per BBC.co.uk.[](https://www.yardbarker.com/darts/articles/luke_littler_thinks_gerwyn_price_made_a_big_mistake_if_he_won_that_game_he_would_have_been_third/s1_17461_42237755)[](https://www.espn.co.uk/darts/story/_/id/45165332/premier-league-darts-gerwyn-price-hits-nine-darter-aberdeen)[](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/darts/articles/cx2g04dn19eo)
**Parallels in Sports**
Price’s lament echoes Djokovic’s emotional tribute to Nadal at the 2025 French Open, where he admitted, “A big part of me left with him,” per TNT Sports. Like Price’s missed darts, Djokovic’s motivation waned post-Nadal’s retirement, per TheAthletic.com. Aryna Sabalenka’s Rome “overreaction” reflection, Alex de Minaur’s ATP schedule critique, and Emma Raducanu’s coaching quest similarly highlight athletes grappling with critical moments, per Tennis.com. Price’s earlier nine-darter against Littler in Manchester, despite a 6-4 loss, showed his potential, per DailyMail.co.uk, but Littler’s O2 dominance ended his hopes.
Gerwyn Price blamed his 10-7 loss to Luke Littler in the 2025 Premier League Darts Playoff semi-final on May 29, 2025, on missing match darts against Dobey the prior week, saying, “I fell off the rails after… that cost me the match,” per Express.co.uk. Littler’s 104.64 average and 128 checkout sealed the win, per @PDCResults. Like Djokovic’s Nadal reflections, Sabalenka’s growth, de Minaur’s fight, and Raducanu’s grit, Price’s regret fuels his resolve. He and Littler team up for the World Cup of Darts in June, live on Sky Sports.
