Luke Littler shows true colours with six-word message to darts rival Chris Dobey

Luke Littler was ousted from the Darts Players Championship in Wigan by Chris Dobey after a 6-5 epic and has sent a message to his opponent as he went on to win the competition

Luke Littler has paid tribute to Chris Dobey after their intense battle at the Players Championship 25. The two darts players faced off in an exciting semi-final match in Wigan on Wednesday night.

Littler, despite a shaky start and trailing 5-2 against a dominant Dobey, managed to make an impressive comeback to force the encounter to a deciding leg. However, Dobey clinched the win with a formidable 150 checkout, leaving Littler visibly disappointed just as Dobey lined up for his match-winning throw.

Afterward, Dobey went on to triumph over Stephen Bunting with an 8-3 score in the final, bagging his third title for the year. Despite his loss, Littler congratulated Dobey on social media by sharing a clip of his reaction to the final dart with the caption: "Face said it all. Fair play @Dobey180."

Following the victory, Dobey reflected on his performance: "Confidence is key. I have won a couple of Players Championships already before today, and I know where I am in the Players Championship standings."

He added, "Once I saw I was in that number one spot, I set myself the target of being there at the end, and it has given me the motivation to get on the practice board and start performing like this on a regular basis.", reports the Mirror.

Looking ahead, Littler could face Dobey again at the upcoming World Grand Prix in Leicester.

To begin his run, the young star will compete against Rob Cross, while Dobey is gearing up for a bout with Joe Cullen.

The World Grand Prix darts competition is fast approaching, and fans are eagerly discussing who will take the title. Michael van Gerwen has already thrown down the gauntlet to youngster Littler ahead of his performance in the East Midlands against Daryl Gurney, stating Van Gerwen's intention to remain at the top of the sport.

The Dutch darting star commented: "I'll definitely be there [among the best darts players in the world five years from now]. I'm not going to stop in five years, they'll [Littler and Humphries] need to do really well to keep me off my position and if they want to win as many tournaments [as me] in five years."

Additionally, he mused on his own rise to success with a hint of challenge: "I can't see that happening, but you never know. Nobody knew there was a kid from Holland coming on the block who made Phil Taylor retire, do you know what I mean? That's how quickly it can go."