Luke Littler and Nathan Aspinall delivered a classic World Matchplay showdown, with the world number one producing a flawless nine‑dart finish en route to an electrifying 11‑8 triumph at Blackpool's historic Winter Gardens. The opening leg of the match saw Littler unleash his perfect leg, marking the second occasion he has started a match against Aspinall with a nine‑dart finish, the first being at the Bahrain Darts Masters earlier in 2024.
Littler's average of 113.68 was the second‑highest ever recorded in the tournament’s history, trailing only Phil Taylor's 114.99 performance in 2010. In addition to the immaculate leg, he racked up fourteen 180s throughout the encounter, underlining his scoring power. The perfect leg began with two consecutive 180s, followed by a precise sequence of treble 20, treble 17 and double 15 that sent the Winter Gardens crowd into a frenzy.
After that dazzling start, Littler continued his momentum with a 14‑dart leg, suggesting another perfect finish might be on the cards. However, his ninth dart at double 15 drifted wide, prompting a good‑natured jab from Aspinall, who offered his darts to the audience in a playful challenge to match the extraordinary standard. Despite the early fireworks and a staggering 117 average in the first session, Aspinall showed resilience. He held his own throw and, after a brief break, returned only one leg behind Littler.
The second session saw Aspinall seize the initiative, pulling ahead 6‑4 at the second break and demonstrating that his own darting was of a very high caliber. Littler responded by stringing together three legs on the bounce, including two crucial breaks of throw, to push the score to 10‑7. Yet Aspinall, never one to surrender under pressure, clawed back two legs to narrow the gap to 10‑8. In the decisive 19th leg, Littler calmly finished with a 52 checkout on the treble, sealing a hard‑fought victory that left the Blackpool audience buzzing.
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 at 101. Six treble‑less visits in 21 legs shows how well I played.
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. The nine‑darter just happened; they were booing me at the start and then they started cheering! Those are two unbelievable performances for me.
I just have to stay focused. You can't hand a trophy to anyone 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 he survived a gritty 11‑6 win over Stephen Bunting, a match in which both competitors struggled to hit their usual high scores, hovering in the low 70s during the opening session. Rock, visibly frustrated by his own performance, fought back to claim four legs on the bounce and eventually secured a 140 checkout to edge the match 7‑4 before closing it out with a 17‑14 semi‑final victory over Littler at the same venue back in 2015. Meanwhile, fourth seed Michael van Gerwen suffered a shocking exit, losing a tense 14‑12 tie‑break to fellow Dutchman Dirk van Duijvenbode. The defeat dropped the five‑time champion provisionally to world number six and ended his £100,000 defending champion run.
Van Duijvenbode opened strongly, taking the first few legs and breaking early to lead 4‑3, then extending his advantage to 8‑4. Despite a shoulder issue that hampered his play, van Gerwen rallied with a triple‑bull finish and a crucial break to level the match at 10‑10. The tie‑break saw van Duijvenbode hit six perfect darts for an 11‑dart leg, pushing the score to 13‑12. On his seventh match dart, after van Gerwen missed his own chances, van Duijvenbode sealed the win with a double 8, celebrating his triumph over his compatriot.
Van Duijvenbode now meets Gary Anderson, the 2018 Matchplay champion, who advanced with an 11‑7 win over Jonny Clayton. This marks Anderson's first quarter‑final appearance at the event in six years.
After a slow start that left him trailing 1‑4, Anderson stormed back, winning five consecutive legs and taking a decisive break in the 15th leg to lead 9‑6. He then held his throw comfortably and closed the match on a double 8. The tournament's second day continues on Wednesday with four more high‑stakes matches broadcast live on Sky Sports. Cameron Menzies will look to build on his impressive victory over world number two Luke Humphries when he faces Ross Smith.
Gerwyn Price will clash with former world champion Rob Cross, while world number three Gian Van Veen meets in‑form Dutchman Wessel Nijman, and James Wade takes on Ryan Searle. Fans can follow all the action, including live streams via NOW, and stay updated with Sky Sports' WhatsApp service for the latest news, video highlights, and expert analysis.
The World Matchplay remains one of darts' most dramatic stages, and with Littler defending his title, the competition promises more unforgettable moments as the remaining rounds unfold.