Luke Littler's ProTour return shortlived, withdraws prior to Players Championship 25 after Last 16 run on Monday

Luke Littler's ProTour return was short lived on Monday with 'The Nuke' not bothering with Players Championship 25 on Tuesday in Milton Keynes as his next tournament approaches in just a couple of days time.

Littler faced off against Beau Greaves in a highly anticipated clash on Monday in a battle between the greatest current men's player in the eyes of many as well as the great women's player by ranking also in both codes. He won marginally 6-5 with Greaves hitting an average of 101.92 in defeat.

He didn't win the title though as he was beaten by Rob Cross with his doubling being in particular fairly suspect against 'Voltage'. Jeffrey de Graaf went on to seal the title in Milton Keynes seeing off Stephen Bunting in a thrilling final but after there were widespread withdrawals yesterday, there was only one today.

Littler was out and Jenson Walker was in. Yesterday Gerwyn Price was the leading withdrawal albeit he posted videos of himself in hospital today with a drip seemingly trying to get rid of the inflammation in his hand after posting a picture yesterday that he needed to go to hospital.

Gary Anderson also decided against playing yesterday too while Nathan Aspinall to the bemusement of some given his current Minehead predicament is also not bothering despite being initially entered.

Littler's next tournament will be only in a few days time anyway and he will play the Flanders Darts Trophy in Antwerp. It is his first European Tour in a number of months after deciding to not play them after not being best received by German fans. Luke Humphries who is not playing in this double header at all will also return.

Michael van Gerwen and Stephen Bunting are left as a result as the leading lights with MVG unlike previous ProTour stints not deciding to skip the second day. He is currently facing Madars Razma in the second round in Milton Keynes.