LUKE LITTLER’S bid for a clean sweep of the major PDC titles in 2026 has come to an end after the Warrington darts sensation was beaten 10-4 by Jonny Clayton in the quarter-finals of the World Series of Darts Finals in Amsterdam.
Littler, the world number one, had arrived in the Netherlands chasing another major title after an extraordinary season which has already seen him win the World Championship, World Masters, UK Open, Premier League, World Cup of Darts and World Matchplay.
But his hopes were blown away by a superb performance from Clayton, who won seven of the final eight legs after the match had been level at 3-3.
It was a frustrating afternoon for Littler, who struggled to find his best form and missed a number of opportunities on the doubles.
Clayton took full advantage and secured a comprehensive 10-4 victory to book his place in the semi-finals, where he will face fellow Welshman Gerwyn Price.
Afterwards, Clayton admitted Littler had not produced his usual performance but insisted he had to take advantage of the chances presented to him.
The defeat comes after Littler had already survived two testing matches in Amsterdam.
He fought back from 3-1 down to beat Dutchman Danny Noppert 6-4 in the opening round before producing another dramatic comeback against Nathan Aspinall, eventually winning their last-16 clash 10-9 in a deciding-leg thriller.
The Aspinall match had also been overshadowed by a hostile Amsterdam crowd, with Littler being booed and whistled at during the contest.
The 19-year-old had subsequently warned that he could consider avoiding future tournaments in the Netherlands if the treatment continued.
Despite the disappointment, Littler has enjoyed a remarkable 2026 and remains firmly at the top of the sport.
And importantly, his bid to win every ranking major this year remains alive – the World Series of Darts Finals is a non-ranking event.
His next major assignment is the World Grand Prix in Leicester from September 28 to October 4, followed by the European Championship, Grand Slam of Darts and Players Championship Finals later in the year.
For now, though, The Nuke’s latest Amsterdam adventure is over – and Jonny Clayton has ended one of the most remarkable winning runs in darts.
CLAYTON KNOCKS OUT LITTLER 😱
The clean sweep is OVER ❌
Jonny Clayton sweeps aside Luke Littler 10-4 to seal his place in the semi-finals and complete the last four line-up!
📺 https://t.co/Xmxpvc1Nh5#WSODFinals | QF pic.twitter.com/Pid6cRrCCY
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) September 20, 2026
