Luke Littler produced the most spectacular moment of the 2026 World Matchplay so far: a nine-darter in the very first leg, followed by an 11–8 victory over Nathan Aspinall in a match that very quickly transcended the scope of a mere last-16 tie.
The PDC is calling it one of the greatest matches in the tournament’s history, and this time, that description is no exaggeration. Littler finished with an average of 113.68, the second-highest average ever recorded at the World Matchplay, behind Phil Taylor’s 114.99 in 2010. To put it another way: we saw the defending champion strike hard, very early on, and remind everyone that Blackpool remains his home turf.
This result sets up the highly anticipated Littler v Aspinall clash in the second round. It lived up to expectations, with some incredible scoring, a solid response from Aspinall and a finish that forced Littler to keep his composure right to the end.
The official nine-darter clip shows just how quickly the Winter Gardens erupted in that opening leg.
LITTLER LANDS THE NINE! ☢️
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) July 21, 2026
LUKE LITTLER PRODUCES PERFECTION IN THE OPENING LEG OF THE MATCH!
Absolutely astonishing! 🤯
📺 https://t.co/xXnQhVoUPy#MatchplayDarts pic.twitter.com/QbDrwSyGKW
A perfect start, then a second scare
The highlight of the day was this: Littler opened the match with a nine-darter. Two 180s, followed by a treble 20, a treble 17 and a double 15. The match had barely begun, and the Winter Gardens already had its defining moment.
What was most impressive was that the sequence didn’t feel like a one-off flash of brilliance. Littler immediately followed it up with a 14-dart leg, then threatened a second nine-darter as early as the fourth leg. His ninth dart grazed the double 15, enough to make it clear to Aspinall, the crowd and the scoreboard that the evening could turn into something rare.
Sky Sports also highlights a detail that adds depth to the story: Littler had previously started a match against Aspinall with a perfect leg at the 2024 Bahrain Darts Masters. So this is not just an amusing coincidence. He has this ability to step straight into a big match without a feeling-out phase, as if the pressure were there mainly to get his arm moving.
Aspinall put up more of a fight than the score suggests
The score tells one thing, but the match tells a slightly different story. Aspinall was dominated on the numbers for a long time, with an average well below that of the world number one, but he refused to give up. The PDC notes that he fought back to 7–7, just as Littler seemed to have established a comfortable lead.
This passage is significant because it prevents the evening from being reduced to a one-man show. Aspinall weathered an almost unplayable start, then found enough composure to force Littler to start afresh. At 10–7, Littler even missed a match-winning dart, and Aspinall responded with a 170 checkout to stay in the game. On a night like this, you don’t always get a second chance. This time, Littler closed it out straight after.
The statistics that put this match in a league of its own
The statistical line-up is rare: 11-8, an average of 113.68, 14 maximums according to Sky Sports, a nine-darter right at the start and another near-perfect attempt a few minutes later. The PDC adds that, in the history of the World Matchplay, this average has only been bettered by Phil Taylor.
| Score | Luke Littler 11–8 Nathan Aspinall |
| Nine-darter | In the opening leg |
| Littler average | 113.68 |
| Maximums | 14 according to Sky Sports |
| Key swing | Aspinall battles back to 7–7 |
| Key checkout | 170 from Aspinall to stay alive |
| Historic note | 2nd-best average in World Matchplay history |
| Next opponent | Josh Rock in the quarter-finals |
This isn’t just another win for Littler. It’s a victory that changes the complexion of his tournament. After an already very solid first round, the defending champion has just passed a real test against a former Blackpool champion, with a performance that is bound to carry weight in the overall assessment of the draw.
Josh Rock is now in the mix at just the right time
What follows will be anything but a formality: Littler will face Josh Rock in the quarter-finals. Rock beat Stephen Bunting 11–6 in a match that, whilst not particularly smooth-flowing, was emotionally charged enough to make it a real standout.
For Littler, the stakes are simple: to confirm that his masterpiece against Aspinall was not a one-off, but another step towards defending his title. For Rock, it’s a direct opportunity to halt the world number one’s momentum. This is where things get tough.
Sources: PDC, Sky Sports.
