Luke Littler hits nine-dart finish in win over Michele Turetta in Wigan

Luke Littler hit a nine-dart finish in his third-round match at the Players Championship (David Davies/PA)

Teenage sensation Luke Littler hit a nine-dart finish to see off Michele Turetta at the Players Championship in Wigan.

Littler, 17, became a household name during a shock run to the final of the World Championship at the turn of the year.

“The Nuke” then went on to beat Michael van Gerwen to win the Bahrain Masters in January, becoming the youngest player to hit a televised nine-darter in his quarter-final victory over Nathan Aspinall.

Littler’s strong form continued as he was beaten by home favourite Van Gerwen in the final of the Dutch Masters the following week.

He has now moved into round four of the first Players Championship event of the year after wrapping up a 6-1 win over Turetta in typical Littler style, completing a nine-dart finish along the way.

Luke Humphries, who beat Littler to claim his first World Championship crown, was the victim of a shock defeat on the first day of action at the Robin Park Tennis Centre as the second seed crashed out 6-0 to Ian White.