Nervy moments marked Nathan Aspinall’s World Darts Championship opener, where he narrowly defeated Leonard Gates 3-1. Aspinall, who faced an unexpected exit in the same round last year, managed to secure his progression into the post-Christmas stage of the tournament.
Gates had triumphed over Cameron Menzies earlier, showcasing his abilities during the initial sets against Aspinall before the latter pulled away for victory.
World Darts Championship: Night Four Results
| Jim Williams | 2-3 | Paolo Nebrida (R1) |
| Madars Razma | 3-1 | Christian Kist (R1) |
| Ricky Evans | 3-2 | Gordon Mathers (R1) |
| Nathan Aspinall | 3-1 | Leonard Gates (R2) |
“I’m relieved to come through that. It was a very tough game of darts,” Aspinall stated, looking ahead to a possible last-32 clash against Andrew Gilding, Martin Lukeman, or Nitin Kumar. He acknowledged the pressure he felt to perform, citing recent scrutiny over his playing form.
Aspinall expressed determination to demonstrate his capabilities and stated, “It wasn’t pretty, but I won the game. Now I can enjoy Christmas and come back stronger after the break.”
In a striking moment during the tournament, Christian Kist delivered a remarkable nine-darter, marking the 15th instance of such a feat in the World Championship’s history. Despite his exceptional performance, Kist lost to Madars Razma, who advanced in style.
The nine-darter earned Kist a £60,000 prize and contributed to a donation of the same amount to Prostate Cancer, celebrating the achievement.
“The nine-darter was an amazing moment… I hope Kris enjoys the money,” Kist remarked. However, he added his disappointment at exiting in the first round, despite the prize money possibly funding a vacation.
Ricky Evans also faced challenges in his first-round match but prevailed against Gordon Mathers, securing a second-round clash with sixth-seed Dave Chisnall after a tense contest.
Fans witnessed a dramatic opener as Jim Williams, despite showing promise, missed multiple match darts and ultimately lost to Paolo Nebrida. Nebrida will next face Ross Smith.
Upcoming Matches
Excitement continues on Thursday, December 19, featuring Chris Landman against Lok Yin Lee and other thrilling matchups in the afternoon session. Headlining the evening session, former world champion Michael Smith will face Kevin Doets. Fans eagerly await to see who will take the title at the Paddy Power World Darts Championship through January 3.
