Luke Littler has provided an update following his absence from the second-to-last Players Championship event of 2025 earlier today.
The 18-year-old was set to compete in PC33 at the Robin Park Tennis Centre in Wigan on Wednesday. However, the current world champion announced on Instagram at 11:06 am that he would not be participating due to being stuck in traffic. Consequently, Littler missed the 11 am registration deadline for the event, resulting in forfeiting his spot in the lineup.
Later in the day at 1:45 pm, ‘The Nuke’ shared that he had opted to have Chinese food at a restaurant while his darting counterparts, such as Luke Humphries, were on stage.
Hours later, Littler explained the reason for his delay to the Players Championship event, which was scheduled to begin at 1 pm. He referenced a tragic road incident on the M6 in Wigan where a man lost his life, expressing condolences for the situation.
Reports from Wigan Today indicated that emergency services responded to a welfare concern on the M6 between the Bryn Interchange and junction 26 for Orrell/M58 around 10:15 am. Greater Manchester Police confirmed the sad outcome at the scene.
Despite missing out on PC33, Littler is assured a spot at the £600,000 Players Championship finals in Minehead next month. Concerns arose previously regarding his qualification for the finals weekend as he had dropped below the top 64 rankings. However, Littler’s victory at PC32 secured his place in the finals, overcoming several opponents to claim the £15,000 prize.
Following his win at PC32, where he silenced critics who doubted his top 64 prospects, Littler highlighted his social media detractors and emphasized his achievement. His recent successes include being crowned World Grand Prix champion and making a strong showing at the European Championship in Dortmund.