Bahrain Masters: Littler, Humphries Shine While Rob Cross Stumbles in Shocking Exit
The 2025 Bahrain Masters has been an exciting rollercoaster of high-level darts, with surprises, intense competition, and brilliant performances. Reigning champion Luke Littler kicked off his title defense in impressive fashion, securing a 6-3 victory against Lourence Ilagan. Littler, who turned 18 on January 21, 2025, demonstrated why he’s the current World number two, following up on his incredible run last year that saw him lift his first PDC senior trophy. The match was competitive, as Ilagan fought back after trailing 4-1, but a sensational 142 checkout in the eighth leg helped Littler regain control and secure the win with a 94.36 average.
However, the tournament took an unexpected turn with the shocking elimination of former World Champion Rob Cross. Cross, ranked third in the world, was knocked out in the first round by Paolo Nebrida, who is ranked a massive 91 places lower. Nebrida, the 30-year-old from the Philippines, stunned fans and pundits alike, clinching the win 6-3 with a finishing double top. This victory made him the first Filipino player to win a match on the World Series. It was an early exit for Cross, who was widely expected to make a deeper run.
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Meanwhile, World number one Luke Humphries continued his dominant form, averaging a stellar 103.66 and hitting six out of six doubles to steamroll home player Abdulla Saeed 6-0. This performance set up a thrilling battle against Nathan Aspinall in the following round, a match that would be decided by a nail-biting final leg, where Humphries eventually triumphed 6-5.
Thursday’s first round also saw several other notable victories. Welshman Gerwyn Price produced an outstanding display, defeating Lok Yin Lee of Hong Kong 6-3, while debutants Stephen Bunting and Chris Dobey made their mark. Bunting secured a comfortable 6-2 win over India's top-ranked Nitin Kumar, and Dobey crushed Bahrain's Basem Mahmood 6-0.
As the tournament progresses, the quarter-finals promise even more thrilling darts action. Luke Humphries will face off against Nathan Aspinall, while Stephen Bunting will go head-to-head with Chris Dobey. Littler will look to bounce back in a challenging match against the always formidable Gerwyn Price, and Paolo Nebrida will take on Scotland’s Peter Wright in what’s sure to be another exciting clash. With so many top players vying for the title, the Bahrain Masters is shaping up to be an unforgettable event.
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