Nathan Aspinall’s title defense is still alive after holding off Luke Woodhouse in a tense late-night finish on Saturday. Luke Humphries delivered a stunning performance; World Matchplay continues on Sunday with two sessions at 12pm and 4.30pm live on Sky Sports Action.
Defending World Matchplay champion Nathan Aspinall narrowly avoided an upset in the first round in Blackpool. Battling an ongoing elbow injury sustained two months ago during Premier League Darts, Aspinall managed to overcome Luke Woodhouse with a 10-8 victory on Saturday night. The 32-year-old, who will undergo surgery after the tournament, found himself trailing early before rallying from 3-2 down to lead 6-3.
Saturday Results
- Gerwyn Price 10-4 Daryl Gurney
- Jonny Clayton 10-7 Raymond van Barneveld
- Luke Humphries 10-4 Ricardo Pietreczko
- Nathan Aspinall 10-8 Luke Woodhouse
Woodhouse fought back to level the match at 6-6, and both players exhibited signs of nerves as the quality dipped. Woodhouse missed a crucial 138 checkout at 8-8, allowing Aspinall to capitalize and secure his victory with a double 20. Aspinall will face either Danny Noppert or James Wade in the next round.
Humphries’ Statement Victory
Fresh off his World Cup of Darts win with Michael Smith, Luke Humphries showcased his form with a dominant 10-4 win over Ricardo Pietreczko. Averaging 108.76, Humphries recorded the highest average at the World Matchplay in three years. Pietreczko, despite averaging over a ton, was unable to match Humphries’ pace as the world No. 1 turned a 6-3 lead into a 10-4 triumph.
Price and Clayton Impress
Gerwyn Price returned to form with an impressive 10-4 victory over Daryl Gurney in his first televised match since withdrawing from the World Cup for medical reasons. Despite a brief challenge from Gurney, who pulled back to 5-4, Price won six consecutive legs, displaying his trademark intensity.
Jonny Clayton defeated Raymond van Barneveld 10-7 in a closely contested match. Clayton led 7-3 before Van Barneveld rallied to 7-6. However, Clayton regained his composure to secure the win.
Sunday Schedule
Due to the Euro 2024 final between England and Spain, Sunday’s sessions have been moved forward to 12pm and 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports Action.
Sunday Afternoon Fixtures (12pm)
- Ross Smith vs. Josh Rock
- Danny Noppert vs. James Wade
- Dimitri Van den Bergh vs. Martin Schindler
- Stephen Bunting vs. Ryan Joyce
Sunday Evening Fixtures (4.30pm)
- Rob Cross vs. Gian van Veen
- Joe Cullen vs. Brendan Dolan
- Peter Wright vs. Andrew Gilding
- Dave Chisnall vs. Krzysztof Ratajski
After a short break, the evening session will feature former world champion Rob Cross taking on Gian van Veen, with Peter Wright facing Andrew Gilding and Dave Chisnall also in action.
Credit: Sky Sports
