In the electrifying world of professional darts, where precision meets sheer audacity, few moments rival the thrill of a nine-darter—a flawless sequence of nine perfect darts that pins the magic 501 score in just three visits to the oche. On a crisp October afternoon at the Robin Park Leisure Centre in Wigan, England, Nathan Aspinall etched his name deeper into darts folklore by achieving this feat not once, but twice in a single day during the Players Championship 31. The Stockport sensation, affectionately known as “The Asp,” turned heads and ignited roars from the crowd, showcasing the kind of wizardry that separates legends from the pack. Yet, even as Aspinall’s arrows danced with perfection, the day carried a shadow of uncertainty for one of the sport’s all-time greats: Michael van Gerwen, whose early exit left him staring down the barrel of an unprecedented career low.
Aspinall, the 34-year-old former UK Open and World Matchplay champion, arrived in Wigan riding a wave of momentum mixed with personal turbulence. Just hours before his first throw, he had dropped a bombshell on social media, announcing his abrupt split from long-time management team ZXF Sports. The move sent ripples through the darts community, with fans and pundits speculating on its impact amid a season where Aspinall has battled inconsistency and the pressures of life at the top. But if the breakup rattled him, it didn’t show on the board. Instead, it seemed to unleash a torrent of focus and flair, propelling him through the draw with a display that harked back to his breakout days.
His first brush with immortality came in the second round against Ireland’s Steve Lennon, a gritty competitor known for his resilience in the Pro Tour grind. Aspinall, seeded into the tournament as the world number four, wasted little time asserting dominance. He stormed to a 6-4 victory, but it was the ninth leg that will live long in the memory. Trailing slightly in the match, Aspinall stepped up, his grip steady despite the weight of expectation. Treble 20, treble 19, double 12—the classic route to perfection unfolded like poetry in motion. The arena erupted as his final dart kissed the double 12 wire, sealing the nine-darter and shifting the momentum decisively. “It felt surreal hitting that first one,” Aspinall later reflected in his post-match interview, his broad grin belying the intensity of the moment. “Against Steve, I just zoned in—everything slowed down, and suddenly it was there. You dream of it as a kid, but to do it on the floor like that? It’s pure adrenaline.”
Emboldened, Aspinall carried that fire into the last 16 clash with Germany’s Lukas Wenig, a rising talent with a reputation for upsetting the odds. The match was a nail-biter, stretching to a deciding leg at 5-5, with both players trading blows in a showcase of high-octane darts. Aspinall’s scoring was relentless, peppered with 180s that kept the German on the back foot. Then, in the eighth leg, lightning struck twice. Again, the sequence was textbook: five trebles of 20, followed by trebles on 19, and that fateful double 12. Wenig, to his credit, held his arms aloft in celebration for his opponent, a sportsmanlike gesture that underscored the camaraderie amid the competition. Aspinall clinched the 6-5 win, pumping his fist as the crowd chanted his name. “The second one against Lukas was even sweeter,” he admitted. “I was knackered by then, but seeing the board light up like that—it’s the stuff that keeps you coming back for more.”
With two nine-darters under his belt in one event, Aspinall joined an elite club that includes darts royalty like Phil Taylor, Michael van Gerwen himself, and Ross Smith—the only players to achieve multiple perfect legs in a single Pro Tour tournament. It’s a testament to his raw talent and mental fortitude, especially given the personal upheaval. Yet, for all the highs, the day ended in bittersweet fashion. In the final against Dutch powerhouse Jermaine Wattimena, Aspinall bolted out of the gates, racing to a 2-0 lead with his trademark aggression. Wattimena, however, is no stranger to comebacks; the 36-year-old, already a winner earlier in the season, flipped the script with ruthless efficiency. He reeled off eight consecutive legs, his checkout percentage climbing as Aspinall’s faltered under the pressure. The final score: 8-2 to Wattimena, denying The Asp a third ranking title of 2025 and leaving him to rue what might have been. “Jermaine was on fire after that early wobble,” Aspinall conceded. “Fair play—he deserved it. But hitting those nines? I’ll take that any day.”
While Aspinall’s heroics dominated headlines, the undercard carried a sting for the sport’s hierarchy. Michael van Gerwen, the three-time world champion and perennial force of nature, crashed out in the first round to England’s Dom Taylor—a 6-4 upset that felt like an earthquake in Wigan. Van Gerwen, 36 and still a colossus with 144 PDC titles to his name, entered the event languishing outside the qualification spots for the lucrative Players Championship Finals, set for Minehead at month’s end. The top 64 on the Order of Merit secure their places, and with just three events remaining, MVG’s position is precarious—currently hovering around 65th or lower, depending on the latest tallies. A first-round exit here wasn’t just a blip; it was a siren call to disaster. For a man who’s won everything from World Series finals to Premier League nights, missing the Players Championship Finals for the first time in his illustrious career would be an “embarrassing” stain, as one insider put it— a stark reminder that even titans can stumble.
Van Gerwen’s struggles this autumn have been puzzling. Once averaging over 110 with ease, he’s endured a string of uncharacteristic errors, missed doubles, and early exits. Whispers in the paddock point to fatigue from a grueling schedule, nagging minor injuries, and the mental toll of chasing relevance in a field bursting with young guns like Luke Littler. Speaking after his defeat, Van Gerwen was philosophical but steely: “It’s frustrating, no doubt. Dom played well, but I know what I’m capable of. These next few days? I’ll be back fighting—watch me.” His resolve is admirable, but the math is unforgiving. With Littler— the teenage phenom and reigning world champion—also teetering on the edge after a shock 6-4 first-round loss to Ritchie Edhouse, the finals qualification race has become a pressure cooker. Littler, sitting 67th, echoed the tension: “It’s gutting to go out early, especially after the youth semis. But I’ve got three shots left—no way I’m missing Minehead.”
The Players Championship series, a relentless 32-event gauntlet on the PDC calendar, is designed to reward consistency over brilliance in isolation. Aspinall’s double nine-darters, while a career highlight, netted him valuable ranking points but couldn’t mask the sting of that final defeat. Still, at 43rd on the Order of Merit, he’s safely ensconced in finals contention, allowing him to reflect on the day with a mix of pride and hunger. “Two in one go? That’s up there with my best,” he beamed. “But it’s fuel now—next event, I’m turning those nines into trophies.”
As the autumn swing hurtles toward its climax, Wigan’s drama encapsulates darts’ intoxicating blend of glory and grit. Aspinall’s feats remind us why we love the game: the impossible made routine by human endeavor. For Van Gerwen, it’s a wake-up call, a chance to summon the Dutch destroyer who once ruled with an iron fist. With the Players Championship Finals looming and majors like the Grand Slam on the horizon, the stakes couldn’t be higher. In darts, where a single arrow can rewrite history, no one’s script is set in stone. The oche awaits—who will blink first?
Leave a Reply