Nathan Aspinall stunned as Luke Littler hits two 9-darters in opener

Nathan Aspinall was on the wrong end of Luke Littler’s record-breaking World Matchplay debut on Monday night, as the 16-year-old darted two perfect legs in their first-round clash at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.

The PDC World Matchplay clash on 21 July 2024 saw Littler: the teenage sensation: open with a nine-darter in the opening leg, sparking bedlam among the partisan crowd. Aspinall, the 2023 semi-finalist, never recovered from the early hammer blow.

What happened in Littler’s opening salvo?

Littler struck first blood in stunning fashion. His first nine-darter arrived in leg one, firing darts at D16, D8 and D20 in perfect sequence. The Winter Gardens erupted for the second straight year, after Littler’s 2025 World Matchplay debut also opened with a perfect leg.

But Littler wasn’t done. In leg four, he missed double-18 for a second nine-darter, leaving the door ajar. Then in leg five, he returned with another nine-darter: this time D15, D2 and D18: to leave Aspinall staring at a 5-0 deficit after just five legs.

How did Aspinall respond?

Aspinall, ranked 12th in the PDC Order of Merit, never threatened to reel Littler back in. The 33-year-old from Wigan landed a 121 checkout in leg two, but Littler answered with a 110 finish moments later. Aspinall’s highest checkout was 100, and he never threatened another nine-darter.

The match finished 10-2 in Littler’s favour, ending Aspinall’s World Matchplay campaign in under 40 minutes. The result marked the first time Aspinall had lost in the opening round since 2022.

Why it matters for Nathan Aspinall

The loss drops Aspinall to 15th in the updated PDC Order of Merit, his lowest ranking since 2021. His next event is the World Grand Prix in October, where he’ll need to rediscover his form to avoid a tough draw.

For Littler, the rout cements his status as darts’ next superstar. The teenager’s two nine-darters in five legs set a World Matchplay record for fastest double-start perfect legs. His £25,000 prize haul for the win also underlines his commercial pull: he’s now the richest teenager in darts history.

What comes next?

Aspinall will regroup after Blackpool. His next ranking event is the World Grand Prix in Leicester from 13 October, where he’ll face a seeded opponent in the first round. Littler, meanwhile, advances to face either Damon Heta or Chris Dobey in the second round.

The World Matchplay continues at the Winter Gardens until 28 July, with the final set for Sunday.