Gerwyn Price has crashed out of the World Darts Championship after losing to Wesley Plaisier in the second round. The Welshman was left trailing in the wake of the Dutchman’s career-defining performance at Alexandra Palace.

Plaisier, a towering figure on the oche, had never advanced beyond the second round at Ally Pally prior to his face-off with the Iceman. However, it was the underdog who remained ice cool, successfully hitting nine out of 16 double attempts, while Price managed to secure only four legs throughout the match. Plaisier gave Price no room to manoeuvre and denied the 2021 World Champion even a single set. Price’s stunning defeat is a significant boon for Luke Littler, who was anticipated to meet the two-time World Cup of Darts champion in the quarter-finals. This turn of events could pave the way for the 18-year-old prodigy, until at least the quarter-finals.

Price and Littler looked set for a showdown in the last eight, but the Welshman could not hold up his end of the deal. In other good news for Littler, seeded stars Joe Cullen (No. 32), Chris Dobey (No. 8) and Ryan Joyce (No. 24) have all been eliminated in the second round.

Price, the No. 9 seed, is the latest high-profile casualty at this stage. He was widely tipped to clinch a comfortable victory, but Plaisier turned the tables, decimating Price 3-0.

He set the pace early on with a spectacular 130 checkout, culminating in a bullseye finish. The Welsh player averaged 94.91 in the first set, but Plaisier’s impeccable timing restricted Price to only two attempts at a double.

In the second set, Plaisier increased his scoring to 96 and successfully converted three out of five attempts at a double. Price saved his finest performance for the final set when it mattered most, averaging 106.70 and hitting two out of four attempts at a double.

However, his rival also upped his game, achieving an average of 97.23. Intriguingly, the Ally Pally crowd began to cheer for Price, a rare occurrence in this part of London.

Price responded with a thumbs-up, and for a moment it seemed as though the crowd might swing the momentum in Price’s favour. As the crowd started to boo him and chant Price’s name, Plaisier missed two match darts at tops.

Price then stepped up to checkout 53. He hit the single 13 but missed two set darts, allowing Plaisier to hit tops and claim the third set and the match.

Littler is not yet through to the third round; he must face Welsh star David Davies, who balances his darts career with his role as an NHS area manager. However, as the World No. 1, he is the clear favourite to win. If Littler triumphs, he will face off against Mensur Suljovic in the third round.