Gerwyn Price could not resist a cheeky swipe at his rivals on social media after sealing a quarter-final win over Luke Littler at the Bahrain Darts Masters.
The Welshman posted a tongue-in-cheek message on Instagram following his 6-2 victory against the reigning world champion.
“Gutted to lose there,” Price joked. “Didn’t feel good all night, gonna stop and watch the Luke–Luke final though.”
The comment was widely seen as a playful dig at both Littler and world number two Luke Humphries, who many fans had tipped to meet in the final. Price was quick to clarify his intentions, adding shortly afterwards: “Don’t bite. I’m joking — it’s called banter.”
On the oche, however, there was nothing light-hearted about Price’s performance. The win brought an end to Littler’s impressive 21-match winning streak, with Price taking control early and never relinquishing his grip on the contest.
Littler opened the match by taking the first leg, but Price responded in ruthless fashion, reeling off five straight legs to surge into a commanding 5-1 lead. The teenager briefly halted the momentum by checking out on double 10, but Price remained composed and closed out the match soon after to book his place in the semi-finals.
During the match, Littler made a notable equipment change, switching away from the prototype Target Darts he had been using throughout the tournament. While the change brought some improvement, it was not enough to derail Price’s dominant display.
Price’s run in Bahrain eventually ended in the semi-finals, where he was beaten by Michael van Gerwen. The Dutchman went on to lift the title, benefiting from results elsewhere in the draw.
Humphries — the other player referenced in Price’s social media post — also exited the tournament at the quarter-final stage after defeat to Nathan Aspinall, meaning neither of the two “Lukes” featured in the closing stages of the Bahrain Darts Masters.
