Luke Littler and Nathan Aspinall delivered a classic World Matchplay showdown, with the world number one crafting a perfect nine‑dart leg en route to an impressive 11‑8 triumph at Blackpool's historic Winter Gardens. The opening leg saw Littler unleash his nine‑dart finish, marking the second occasion he has begun a match against Aspinall with flawless precision, the first being at the 2024 Bahrain Darts Masters.
His 113.68 average stands as the second‑highest ever recorded at the World Matchplay, trailing only Phil Taylor's 114.99 in 2010, and he also rattled off fourteen 180s during the encounter. Setting the tone with a "start as you mean to go on" approach, Littler opened with two 180s before hitting treble 20, treble 17 and double 15 to complete the perfect leg, sending the Winter Gardens crowd into a frenzy.
After following that with a 14‑dart leg, he seemed poised to repeat the feat 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 their hand at the impossible standard. Despite the early fireworks and a 117 average in the first session, Aspinall showed resilience, holding his throw and narrowing the gap to just one leg at the break.
He continued to play high‑quality darts, taking the second session with a 6‑4 lead at the second break and putting pressure back on the young champion. Littler appeared to pull away when he captured three consecutive legs on the bounce, securing two breaks of throw to move ahead 10‑7. Yet, in typical Aspinall fashion, "The Nuke" fought back under intense pressure, clawing the score to 10‑8.
In the decisive 19th leg, Littler calmly finished on a 52 finish on the tops, sealing a thrilling contest. 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 at 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, but I’m just glad to win. He never gives up. The nine‑dart just happened – the crowd were booing at the start then they turned into cheering supporters!
Those are two unbelievable performances for me, and I just have to stay focused. You can’t hand the trophy over after round one or two; I wanted Luke Humphries to win and meet us in another final." Littler’s next challenge will be a quarter‑final clash with Josh Rock, after he dispatched Stephen Bunting 11‑6 in a gritty encounter where both players struggled to reach their usual scoring heights, averaging in the low 70s in the opening session.
Rock, visibly frustrated by his own performance, fought back to lead 7‑4 before Littler rallied, eventually clinching the match with a spectacular 140 checkout. This sets up a rematch of the 2015 semi‑final, where Littler had previously edged Rock 17‑14 at the same venue. Meanwhile, fourth seed Michael van Gerwen suffered a shocking exit, losing 14‑12 in a tie‑break to fellow Dutchman Dirk van Duijvenbode.
The defeat sees the former world number four drop provisionally to sixth in the rankings and ends his £100,000 Matchplay defence. Van Duijvenbode opened strongly, taking early opportunities to lead 4‑3 after a solid 125 checkout, then extending to 8‑4 with a second break.
Despite battling a shoulder issue, van Gerwen rallied, hitting a triple‑bull finish and a crucial break to level the match at 10‑10. In the tie‑break, van Duijvenbode produced an eleven‑dart leg, finishing with six perfect darts to go 13‑12 up, and ultimately sealed victory on his seventh match dart, roaring with triumph after van Gerwen missed his own chances. Van Duijvenbode now advances to face Gary Anderson, who reached 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 that left him trailing 1‑4, Anderson surged, winning five consecutive legs and breaking serve in the 15th leg to lead 9‑6. He maintained his throw and closed the match on a double 8. The action continues on Wednesday with four more high‑stakes matches on Sky Sports. Cameron Menzies will look to back his impressive victory over world number two Luke Humphries when he meets Ross Smith.
Gerwyn Price takes on former world champion Rob Cross, while world number three Gian van Veen faces in‑form Dutchman Wessel Nijman, and James Wade battles Ryan Searle. Fans can follow the remainder of the World Matchplay live on Sky Sports or stream the action via NOW, ensuring they don’t miss any of the drama, skill, and unforgettable moments that define this premier darts tournament.