Luke Littler and Nathan Aspinall delivered a spectacular showdown at the World Matchplay, with the world‑number‑one producing a flawless nine‑dart finish en route to an electrifying 11‑8 triumph at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens. The perfect leg arrived in the very first throw of the match, marking the second occasion Littler has opened against Aspinall with a nine‑dart wonder—the first having come at the Bahrain Darts Masters earlier in 2024.
His average of 113.68 stands as the second‑highest ever recorded in a World Matchplay encounter, trailing only Phil Taylor’s 114.99 from the 2010 tournament, and he also compiled a remarkable fourteen 180s throughout the contest. From the outset, Littler set the tone.
After launching two 180s, he proceeded to hit treble‑20, treble‑17 and double‑15, sealing the opening leg with a flawless finish that sent the Winter Gardens crowd into a frenzy. The momentum continued as he followed up with a 14‑dart leg, and although he came close to a second nine‑dart finish in the fourth leg, his ninth dart drifted wide of double‑15.
Aspinall, ever the showman, jokingly offered his darts to the audience, inviting them to try their hand at matching such a staggering standard. Despite Littler’s blistering start and a session average of 117, Aspinall demonstrated resilience, holding his own on his throw and staying just one leg behind after the first break. The second session saw Aspinall’s own high‑quality darts shine, allowing him to edge ahead 6‑4 at the second break, a testament to his tenacity under pressure. Littler, however, reclaimed control by stringing together three legs on the bounce and securing two breaks of throw, extending his lead to 10‑7.
In true Aspinall fashion, the Englishman fought back, narrowing the gap to 10‑8 with a clutch finish that highlighted his reputation for thriving in tense moments. The decisive 19th leg saw Littler maintain composure, finishing on a 52 with his final dart and sealing a memorable victory in Blackpool. Reflecting on the match, Littler told Sky Sports, “It felt amazing.
Probably the best game Nathan and I have ever played against each other. I posted an average of 113 while Nathan was on 101. Six treble‑less visits in 21 legs shows how well I performed. Nathan gave it his all, and when I missed double‑5 I knew the 170 was coming.
I’m just glad to win; he never gives up.” He added, “The nine‑dart finish just happened. The crowd were booing me at the start, then they turned into my biggest supporters!
Those were two unbelievable performances for me. You can’t hand out the trophy after round one or two.
I wanted Luke Humphries to win and hoped we’d meet in another final.” Looking ahead, Littler will meet Josh Rock in the quarter‑finals after a hard‑fought 11‑6 win over Stephen Bunting, a match in which both players struggled to reach their usual scoring heights, averaging in the low 70s during the opening session. Rock, visibly frustrated by his own performance, rallied to take four consecutive legs on the bounce, pulling ahead 7‑4 before clinching the encounter with a spectacular 140 checkout. This sets up a rematch of the 2015 semi‑final at the same venue, where Littler had previously emerged victorious 17‑14. Meanwhile, fourth seed Michael van Gerwen suffered a shock exit, losing a tense 14‑12 tie‑break to fellow Dutchman Dirk van Duijvenbode.
The defeat drops the Dutch star provisionally to world No. 6 and ends his defense of the £100,000 prize fund. Van Duijvenbode opened the match strongly, breaking early to lead 4‑3 and then extending to 8‑4.
Despite a lingering shoulder issue, van Gerwen fought back, hitting a triple‑bull finish and a crucial break to level the match at 10‑10. In the tie‑break, van Duijvenbode produced an immaculate six‑dart leg, breaking again to go 13‑12 ahead, and eventually sealed the win on his seventh match dart, roaring with triumph after van Gerwen missed his own chances. Van Duijvenbode’s next opponent will be Gary Anderson, who dispatched Jonny Clayton 11‑7 to reach the quarter‑finals for the first time in six years. Anderson, the 2018 Matchplay champion, started the match trailing 1‑4 after Clayton’s impressive 105 and 121 checkouts, but then surged with five straight legs, taking a 9‑6 lead after a pivotal break in the 15th leg.
He held his throw comfortably thereafter, clinching his place in the last eight with a double‑8 finish. The second day of action continues on Wednesday, live on Sky Sports, featuring four more marquee matches.
Cameron Menzies will look to build on his impressive victory over world No. 2 Luke Humphries when he faces Ross Smith. Gerwyn Price will meet former world champion Rob Cross, while world No. 3 Gian Van Veen takes on in‑form Dutchman Wessel Nijman.
James Wade will round out the lineup, battling Ryan Searle. As the tournament progresses, fans will be watching to see who ultimately claims this year’s World Matchplay title. Luke Littler, the defending champion, remains a favorite, and the drama promises to unfold across the remaining fixtures, all available to stream via NOW and Sky Sports.