Luke Littler suffered a surprise early exit in the 11th Players Championship of the year with a 6-3 defeat by Dylan Slevin. World champion Littler averaged 90.11 compared to his opponent’s 92.74 as he fell in the first round of the tournament in Leicester. Slevin, ranked 61st in the PDC order of merit, had raced into a 4-1 lead against the Warrington teenager at the Mattioli Arena. Littler rallied to win the next two legs to reduce the deficit, but 22-year-old Irishman Slevin twice nailed double top on pressure throws to seal victory. Former world champions Michael van Gerwen and Gerwyn Price also fell at the first hurdle. Van Gerwen lost a thriller 6-5 to fellow Dutchman Maik Kuivenhoven while Welshman Price was beaten 6-4 by compatriot Rob Owen. World number one Luke Humphries exited the tournament in the second round after a 6-5 defeat by fellow Englishman Brett Claydon.