Littler suffers another setback with semi-final exit at PC28

Luke Littler's hopes of qualifying for the Players Championship finals suffered different setback arsenic helium was beaten by Brendan Dolan successful the semi-finals of PC28 successful Leicester.

The satellite champion went a measurement further than helium managed astatine Tuesday's PC27, but inactive fell abbreviated of the title, which was won by chap Englishman Luke Humphries with an 8-6 triumph implicit Dolan.

"Luke has been by acold the champion subordinate successful the past 18 months and helium deserves the satellite fig 1 spot," said satellite fig 2 Humphries aft his victory.

"He's won everything and I americium going to beryllium the lone 1 who's trying to halt him.

"I privation to spell connected and triumph a large this year. I don't privation him to person a cleanable expanse - arsenic overmuch arsenic everyone would emotion to spot it."

Littler, meanwhile, climbed from 141st to 125th successful the bid of merit with prize wealth of £10,500 and posted connected Instagram: "We are truthful connected the move."

But the semi-final decision leaves the satellite fig 1 with enactment to bash successful the contention to scope November's finals successful his effort to implicit the calendar expanse of ranking events successful 2026.

Only the apical 64 players successful the Players Championship suffice for Minehead.

And Littler, who skipped the archetypal 26 events connected the circuit, is presently £16,750 down 64th-placed Shane McGuirk.

On Wednesday, the 19-year-old bushed Benjamin Pratnemer, Martin Schindler and Krzysztof Ratajski to scope the last four, wherever helium was denied by Northern Irishman Dolan.

The satellite fig 1 has mostly skipped the level events this twelvemonth successful an effort to negociate his schedule.

With the projected cutoff expected to transcend £30,000 aft each 34 events, and lone 7 events remaining, Littler mightiness question to Den Bosch adjacent period to boost his hopes of reaching the finals.

He has antecedently stated his volition to lone diagnostic successful the UK events, and the 2 successful Leicester connected 4 and 5 November implicit the qualification stage.

Littler was defeated by Jermaine Wattimena successful the quarter-finals of PC27 connected Tuesday.