Luke Littler’s historic bid to complete the PDC major set before his 20th birthday was derailed by a stunning 10-6 quarter-final loss to Krzysztof Ratajski at the European Championship. The world No. 1, who has conquered every other major on the calendar, found himself in deep trouble after surrendering seven of the first eight legs, a collapse that proved insurmountable despite a late rally.
World No. 1 collapses in quarter-final as Polish qualifier delivers career-best performance.
Ratajski, representing Poland, executed a masterclass in pressure darts, winning seven consecutive legs to establish a commanding 7-1 lead. Although Littler fought back to narrow the gap to 8-6, the momentum had already shifted irrevocably. The Polish qualifier capitalized on critical errors, including Littler’s missed bullseye for hold throw in the 15th leg and a failed 121 checkout, to secure the victory.
This result marks a significant statistical anomaly, as Ratajski defeated “The Nuke” for the first time in eight head-to-head meetings. With the Grand Slam of Darts approaching in Wolverhampton from November 14-22, Littler must now regroup and refocus his attention on that upcoming showcase event, leaving his European title hopes in the dust.
Source: Sky Sports
