Luke Littler and Nathan Aspinall delivered a spectacular showdown at the World Matchplay in Blackpool, with the world number one producing a flawless nine‑dart finish en route to an impressive 11‑8 victory at the historic Winter Gardens. The opening leg saw Littler unleash his perfect leg, marking the second occasion he has begun a match against Aspinall with a nine‑dart wonder, the first being at the Bahrain Darts Masters earlier in 2024. Littler’s average of 113.68 was the second‑highest ever recorded at the World Matchplay, trailing only Phil Taylor’s legendary 114.99 performance in 2010.
Over the course of the encounter he also compiled 14 maximums (180s), underscoring his scoring power throughout the night. The match began in spectacular fashion.
Littler opened with two consecutive 180s, then hit treble 20, treble 17 and double 15 to complete the nine‑dart leg, sending the crowd at the Winter Gardens into a frenzy. After that, he followed up with a 14‑dart leg, and it appeared he might string together another perfect leg in the fourth leg, but his ninth dart missed the double 15, prompting a good‑natured jab from Aspinall who offered his darts to the audience to try and match the extraordinary standard. Despite Littler’s early dominance and a session average of 117, Aspinall showed resilience, holding his throw and staying within a single leg of the leader after the first break.
The second session saw Aspinall seize the momentum, taking the break and moving ahead 6‑4 at the second interval. He continued to apply pressure, and by the time the third session began, Littler had pulled ahead again, winning three legs on the bounce and securing two breaks of throw to lead 10‑7. Aspinall, never one to surrender easily, fought back under intense pressure, narrowing the gap to 10‑8 with a series of high‑quality darts.
However, Littler remained unshaken. In the decisive 19th leg he finished with a 52 finish on the double top, sealing a thrilling encounter that left the 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 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!
The nine‑darter just happened; the crowd started off booing me but they turned into supporters as the leg progressed. It was two unbelievable performances for me, and I just had to stay focused. You can never hand a trophy to someone 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 where both competitors struggled to reach their usual scoring heights, averaging in the low 70s in the opening session.
Rock, visibly frustrated by his own performance, managed to reel off four consecutive legs on the bounce to lead 7‑4 before clinching the match with a sensational 140 checkout, setting up a rematch with Littler. Their previous encounter at the same venue in 2015 saw Littler emerge victorious in a dramatic 17‑14 semi‑final.
Meanwhile, fourth seed Michael van Gerwen suffered a shocking exit, losing 14‑12 in a tense tie‑break to fellow Dutchman Dirk van Duijvenbode. The defeat dropped Van Gerwen provisionally to world number six, ending his defense of a £100,000 prize fund and his position at world number four. The match was a roller‑coaster of drama: Van Duijvenbode seized early opportunities, breaking ahead 4‑3 after a solid 125 checkout, then extending his lead to 8‑4.
Despite battling a shoulder issue, Van Gerwen fought back, hitting a triple‑bull finish and a crucial break to level the match at 10‑10. The tie‑break saw Van Duijvenbode deliver an eleven‑dart leg with six perfect darts, pulling ahead 13‑12, and eventually sealing the win on his seventh match dart after Van Gerwen missed his own chances. Van Duijvenbode will now meet Gary Anderson, who advanced to the quarter‑finals 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, Anderson rallied, winning five consecutive legs and breaking ahead 9‑6 in the 15th leg, before comfortably holding his throw to clinch the match on double 8. The tournament’s second day continues with four more high‑stakes matches slated for live broadcast 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 take on former world champion Rob Cross, while world number three Gian Van Veen meets in‑form Dutchman Wessel Nijman, and James Wade squares off against Ryan Searle. Fans eager to follow the action can stream the matches via NOW, which offers live darts coverage without a contract. The World Matchplay remains one of the sport’s most prestigious events, and with Littler defending his title, the competition promises further drama, high scoring, and unforgettable moments as the remaining players vie for the coveted trophy.