Luke Littler's bid for a clean sweep of all major PDC titles in 2026 is over after a crushing 10-4 defeat to Jonny Clayton in the last eight at the World Series of Darts Finals in Amsterdam. The world No 1 had won the first six premier events of the season after following his World Championship triumph in January with the World Masters, UK Open, Premier League, World Cup of Darts and World Matchplay. Littler was hoping to add the World Series of Darts Finals, World Grand Prix, European Championship, Grand Slam of Darts and Players Championship Finals trophies to complete a historic monopoly over the year - but ran in to an inspired Clayton.
Clayton will take on fellow Welshman Gerwyn Price in Sunday's second semi-final, after England's Ross Smith meets home favourite Gian van Veen in the first semi-final, with the final to follow. Littler can still sweep the ranking events - the World Series Finals, like the World Cup and Premier League, is non-ranked - if he wins the remaining four majors in Leicester, Dortmund, Wolverhampton and Minehead. 'The Nuke' has work to do to reach the Players Championship Finals, though, as he sits 125th on the Order of Merit in that series with six events of the regular season remaining and only the top 64 players advance to the finale in Somerset in late November The teenager had hinted he may not try to qualify for the Players Championship Finals should his hopes of a major sweep end in the Netherlands. The next Players Championship events are in Den Bosch on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Littler had suffered scares earlier at the World Series of Darts Finals, rallying from 3-1 down to defeat Danny Noppert 6-4 in round one and then surviving a last-leg shoot-out versus Nathan Aspinall to win 10-9 in the last 16. World No 2 Luke Humphries was eliminated by Dirk van Duijvenbode in round two on Saturday, while defending champion Michael van Gerwen fell in the opening round on Thursday, losing to Daryl Gurney. Van Gerwen's World Series Finals victory last season is the only major he has won since 2023 and he has failed to reach an individual quarter-final in this year's majors.
The 37-year-old did make it to the final of the World Cup of Darts for Netherlands alongside doubles partner Van Veen, where the Dutch duo were beaten by England's Littler and Humphries. That World Cup victory for Littler in Frankfurt in June means the European Championship is the only major title absent from his CV - something he will hope to rectify in Dortmund later this year. Semi-finalsRoss Smith vs Gian van VeenGerwyn Price vs Jonny Clayton Quarter-finalsRoss Smith 10-7 Josh RockGian van Veen 10-8 Dirk van DuijvenbodeGerwyn Price 10-7 James WadeJonny Clayton 10-4 Luke Littler Sky Sports remains the home of darts with the World Grand Prix (September 28-October 4), Grand Slam of Darts (November 14-22) and World Darts Championship (December 10-January 3) all live.
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