Luke Littler and Nathan Aspinall provided a classic World Matchway showdown, with the world number one producing a flawless nine‑dart finish en route to an impressive 11‑8 victory at Blackpool's Winter Gardens. Littler's perfect leg arrived in the very first leg of the match, marking the second occasion he has opened a contest against Aspinall with a nine‑dart wonder—the first coming at the Bahrain Darts Masters earlier in 2024. His 113.68 average ranks as the second‑best ever recorded at the World Matchplay, trailing only Phil Taylor's 114.99 from the 2010 tournament, and he also compiled fourteen 180s throughout the encounter.
The opening salvo set the tone perfectly. Littler began with two maximums, then hit treble‑20, treble‑17 and double‑15 to complete the nine‑dart sequence, sending the Winter Gardens crowd into a frenzy. After that, he followed up with a fourteen‑dart leg, looking poised to repeat the feat in the fourth leg, but his ninth dart drifted wide of double‑15.
Aspinall, ever the showman, quipped that he would hand his darts to the audience so they could try to match such a "ridiculous" standard. Despite the early fireworks and a 117 average in the first session, Aspinall showed resilience, holding his throw and staying just one leg behind at the first break.
The second session saw Aspinall raise his own level, taking the break again and moving ahead 6‑4 at the second interval. Littler then responded by claiming three consecutive legs on the bounce, including two breaks of throw, to pull ahead 10‑7. Aspinall, known for thriving under pressure, fought back, narrowing the gap to 10‑8 with a clutch finish. The decisive nineteenth leg saw Littler finish on a 52 finish, sealing a thrilling encounter.
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 a 113 average while Nathan was on 101.
Six treble‑less visits in 21 legs shows how well I was playing. Nathan gave it his all, and when I missed double‑5 I knew the 170 was coming, but I’m just glad to win. The nine‑dart just happened; the crowd were booing me at the start and then they were cheering. It was two unbelievable performances for me, I just had to stay focused.
You can never hand a trophy after round one or two – I wanted Luke Humphries to win and meet us in another final." Littler's next challenge will be against Josh Rock in the quarter‑finals after a hard‑fought 11‑6 win over Stephen Bunting, a match in which neither competitor reached their usual scoring heights, both hovering in the low‑70s during the opening session. Rock, visibly frustrated by his own performance, managed to claw back four legs on the bounce to lead 7‑4 before clinching the tie with a spectacular 140 checkout, setting up a rematch with Littler.
The two previously met in a 2015 semi‑final at the same venue, where Littler 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, a defeat that sees him slip provisionally to world number six.
Van Gerwen entered the tournament as the defending £100,000 champion, and his loss also cost him his world number four ranking. The van Gerwen‑van Duijvenbode clash was a drama‑filled affair.
Van Duijvenbode seized the early initiative, breaking serve to lead 4‑3 and extending the advantage to 8‑4 after a solid 125 checkout. Despite battling a shoulder issue, van Gerwen rallied, hitting a triple‑bull finish and a crucial break to level the match at 10‑10.
The tie‑break required a two‑leg margin, and van Duijvenbode delivered an eleven‑dart leg with six perfect darts to go 13‑12 ahead. On his seventh match dart, after van Gerwen missed his chances, van Duijvenbode hit double‑8 and celebrated a roar from the crowd, securing the win.
Van Duijvenbode now faces Gary Anderson, who advanced with an 11‑7 win over Jonny Clayton. This marks Anderson's first quarter‑final appearance at the World Matchplay in six years. After a shaky start that left him 4‑1 down, Anderson surged, winning five straight legs and breaking serve in the 15th leg to lead 9‑6.
He then held his throw comfortably and closed the match on double‑8. The second day of action continues on Wednesday, live on Sky Sports, with four more marquee matchups. Cameron Menzies will look to build on his impressive victory over world number two Luke Humphries when he meets Ross Smith. Gerwyn Price will take on former world champion Rob Cross, while world number three Gian Van Veen faces in‑form Dutchman Wessel Nijman.
James Wade will round out the slate against Ryan Searle. As the tournament progresses, the question remains: who will claim this year's World Matchplay title?
Luke Littler will be defending his crown, and fans can catch every throw on Sky Sports or stream the action via NOW, which offers a contract‑free viewing experience for darts and other top‑level sport.