LUKE LITTLER has been KO’d by an English ace who could only play after having a two-year ban slashed to a single month.
Dom Taylor stunned the world champion 6-5 in the second round of the Players Championship 6.
Taylor, 26, returned to action at the end of January after serving a suspension for failing a drug test.
He had to pull out of the Players Championship Finals last November following a positive test for a banned substance.
Taylor admitted to breaking anti-doping rules and was banned for 24 months.
But that was cut to three months – for two reasons.
Taylor proved the substance was not performance enhancing – and that it was taken outside of competition.
The suspension was then reduced further to just one month when Taylor agreed to do a three-month course in Substance of Abuse treatment.
Now his comeback has taken a huge leap forward – by beating Littler.
And he did it in style.
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Both players averaged over 104, amassing a dozen 180s between them.
And it was Taylor who triumphed in a final-leg thriller.
[bc_video account_id=”5067014667001″ application_id=”” aspect_ratio=”16:9″ autoplay=”” caption=”Darts icon Bobby George claims Phil Taylor couldn’t beat Luke Littler ‘even in his heyday’ ” embed=”in-page” experience_id=”” height=”100%” language_detection=”” max_height=”360px” max_width=”640px” min_width=”0px” mute=”” padding_top=”56%” picture_in_picture=”” player_id=”default” playlist_id=”” playsinline=”” sizing=”responsive” video_id=”6369917853112″ video_ids=”” width=”640px”]The Bristol star checked out on 25 for a 15-darter – a high-pressure finish as Littler was waiting to return with a target of 50.
It came after the Nuke, 18, pipped Alan Soutar 6-5 in the opening round – despite the Scot bagging a NINE-DARTER.
Ironically, Taylor followed up victory over Littler by exiting 6-4 to Jermaine Wattimena – a man with a dire record against the Warrington whizkid.