Luke Littler Fires Perfect Nine-Darter in World Matchplay Classic as Van Gerwen Crashes Out

Littler Produces Darts Masterclass in Blackpool

Luke Littler delivered one of the greatest performances in World Matchplay history, hitting a sensational nine-darter on his way to an enthralling 11-8 victory over Nathan Aspinall at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.

The reigning world No. 1 produced perfection in the very first leg, sending the crowd into a frenzy before finishing the match with a stunning 113.68 average—the second-highest ever recorded at the World Matchplay, behind only Phil Taylor's legendary 114.99 in 2010.

Littler also hammered 14 maximum 180s, underlining a breathtaking display that will be remembered for years.

Aspinall Pushes Littler All the Way

Despite the nightmare start, Nathan Aspinall refused to back down. The former Matchplay finalist responded with remarkable resilience, keeping the pressure on throughout an unforgettable contest.

Littler even came agonisingly close to producing a second nine-darter, only missing the final dart at double 15, prompting a joking reaction from Aspinall as he offered his darts to the crowd to try matching such incredible scoring.

Aspinall later landed a brilliant 170 "Big Fish" checkout to reduce the deficit, but Littler stayed composed, sealing victory with a clinical 52 finish to reach the quarter-finals.

After the match, Littler described it as the best game he and Aspinall have ever played, praising his opponent's determination while admitting the perfect leg simply "just happened."

Josh Rock Awaits in Quarter-Finals

Littler's next challenge will be Northern Ireland's Josh Rock, who defeated Stephen Bunting 11-6 to book his place in the last eight.

Although neither player produced their best averages, Rock battled through a scrappy contest before finishing in style with a spectacular 140 checkout.

Their quarter-final promises fireworks after several memorable meetings between the two rising stars.

Michael van Gerwen Suffers Shock Exit

Elsewhere, three-time champion Michael van Gerwen was eliminated after an epic 14-12 tie-break defeat to fellow Dutchman Dirk van Duijvenbode.

Van Gerwen fought back brilliantly from four legs down despite struggling with a shoulder problem and even produced an incredible triple bullseye finish to ignite the Blackpool crowd.

However, Van Duijvenbode held his nerve during the deciding stages, eventually landing double eight on his seventh match dart to complete one of the biggest upsets of the tournament.

The defeat is a major blow for Van Gerwen, who is set to drop outside the world's top four rankings.

Anderson Continues Strong Run

Gary Anderson also booked his place in the quarter-finals with an 11-7 victory over Jonny Clayton.

After trailing early, the 2018 champion produced a trademark comeback, winning five consecutive legs before closing out the match to reach his first World Matchplay quarter-final in six years.

The Scotsman will now face Van Duijvenbode in another blockbuster clash as the race for the Phil Taylor Trophy intensifies.