World champion and Premier League frontrunner Luke Littler suffered an early exit at Players Championship 11, falling 6-3 in the opening round to 22-year-old Irishman Dylan Slevin.
Despite his recent dominance, the 18-year-old Littler couldn’t find his rhythm in Leicester, averaging 90.11, while Slevin delivered a stronger performance with an average of 92.74.
The upset marked a surprising start to the event, with Michael van Gerwen also exiting early. The three-time world champion lost a nail-biting final leg 6-5 to fellow Dutchman Maik Kuivenhoven.
Elsewhere, Gerwyn Price crashed out in a 6-4 defeat to fellow Welshman Rob Owen, and veteran Raymond van Barneveld was edged out 6-4 by PDC newcomer Tom Bissell in a closely fought match.
It was a tough day for many top seeds, signaling a shake-up in the tournament as younger talent continues to shine.
