Luke Littler and Nathan Aspinall delivered a classic World Matchplay showdown that will be remembered for years. The world‑number‑one, Littler, opened the match with a flawless nine‑dart leg, ultimately guiding himself to an 11‑8 triumph at Blackpool's historic Winter Gardens.
The perfect leg arrived in the very first leg of the encounter, marking the second occasion this season that Littler has begun a match against Aspinall with a nine‑dart finish—the first having come at the Bahrain Darts Masters earlier in 2024. His 113.68 average ranks as the second‑highest ever recorded at the World Matchplay, trailing only Phil Taylor’s legendary 114.99 from the 2010 tournament. In addition to the immaculate leg, Littler compiled a staggering 14 maximums (180s) over the course of the game. From the outset, Littler signalled his intent.
He launched the opening leg with two consecutive 180s before hitting treble‑20, treble‑17 and double‑15 to complete the nine‑dart finish, sending the Winter Gardens crowd into a frenzy. The atmosphere was electric, and the audience’s reaction shifted from skeptical murmurs to rapturous applause as the young champion demonstrated his extraordinary precision. Littler followed his opening fireworks with a 14‑dart leg, and it appeared he might string together another perfect leg in the fourth. However, his ninth dart drifted wide of double‑15, prompting a good‑natured jab from Aspinall, who jokingly offered his darts to the crowd, inviting them to try their hand at matching such a lofty standard.
Despite the early fireworks and a session average of 117, Aspinall displayed considerable resilience. He held his throw and, after the first break, trailed Littler by just a single leg. In the second session, Aspinall’s own high‑scoring darts kept him in contention, and he managed to pull ahead 6‑4 at the second break, showing why he is nicknamed "The Nuke" for his explosive scoring bursts.
The match swung back and forth. Littler reclaimed momentum by taking three consecutive legs on the bounce, securing two breaks of throw to push the score to 10‑7. Yet Aspinall, renowned for thriving under pressure, fought back fiercely, narrowing the gap to 10‑8 with a series of clutch finishes.
In the decisive 19th leg, Littler remained unflappable. He finished on a double‑20 after taking out 52, sealing a hard‑fought victory that left the Blackpool audience cheering. Reflecting on the encounter, Littler told Sky Sports, "It felt amazing.
Probably the best game Nathan and I have played against each other. I posted an average of 113 while Nathan was at 101. Six treble‑less visits in 21 legs shows how consistent I was.
Nathan gave it his all, and when I missed double‑5 I knew the 170 was coming, but I’m just glad to win. He never gives up.
The nine‑darter just happened; the crowd were booing me at the start but then they turned into my biggest supporters. Those two performances were unbelievable, and I just had to stay focused.
You can’t hand the trophy over after round one or two. I wanted Luke Humphries to win and hoped we’d meet in another final." Littler’s next challenge will be a quarter‑final clash with Josh Rock, who survived a gritty 11‑6 battle against Stephen Bunting.
That match had both players averaging in the low 70s in the opening session, with Rock eventually pulling ahead 7‑4 after a series of bounce‑back legs and sealing the win with a spectacular 140 checkout. Their upcoming meeting rekindles a rivalry that dates back to the 2015 World Matchplay semi‑final, where Littler emerged victorious 17‑14. Elsewhere in the tournament, fourth seed Michael van Gerwen suffered a dramatic exit, losing 14‑12 in a tie‑break to fellow Dutchman Dirk van Duijvenbode.
The defeat dropped van Gerwen provisionally to world No 6, ending his defence of the £100,000 prize money. Van Duijvenbode seized the early initiative, breaking early to lead 4‑3 and extending the advantage to 8‑4.
Despite battling a shoulder issue, van Gerwen fought back, delivering a triple‑bullseye finish and a crucial break to level the match at 10‑10. However, van Duijvenbode clinched the tie‑break with an 11‑dart leg, finishing on double‑8 to seal a 13‑12 lead and ultimately the match. Van Duijvenbode now faces Gary Anderson, who advanced to the quarter‑finals after an 11‑7 win over Jonny Clayton. This marks Anderson’s first quarter‑final appearance at the World Matchplay in six years.
After a 4‑1 deficit early on, Anderson roared back, winning five consecutive legs and pulling ahead 9‑6 after a decisive break in the 15th leg. He then held his throw comfortably, closing out the match on double‑8. The tournament continues on Wednesday with four more high‑stakes matches.
Cameron Menzies will look to capitalize on his impressive victory over world No 2 Luke Humphries when he meets Ross Smith. Gerwyn Price will take on former world champion Rob Cross, while world No 3 Gian Van Veen faces in‑form Dutchman Wessel Nijman. James Wade will round out the slate, challenging Ryan Searle.
Fans can follow the remaining action live on Sky Sports or stream the coverage via NOW, which offers a contract‑free viewing experience. The World Matchplay remains one of darts’ most prestigious events, and with the defending champion Luke Littler still in contention, the drama and excitement are far from over.