Nine-dart Nathan Aspinall claims Players Championship Two title
Nathan Aspinall produced a scintillating set of displays to clinch the second Players Championship title of the season in Barnsley, defeating Gerwyn Price 8-2 in the final.
The world number eight landed a nine-dart finish and a 117.5 average in a blistering Quarter-Final win over Peter Wright on his way to capturing a fourth PDC title.
An incredible contest between Aspinall and Wright produced a combined average of 115.59 – the highest combined match average recorded in PDC history.
Aspinall began the day by thrashing Carl Wilkinson 6-1 before dispatching Peter Jacques 6-4 and recovering from 5-3 down to defeat Keegan Brown 6-5 in the Last 32.
He then saw off veteran Jason Lowe 6-3 before a jaw-dropping display to defeat World Champion Wright – who averaged 113.7 – sealing the deal with a 137 checkout.
Aspinall sealed his spot in the final emphatically by whitewashing Gabriel Clemens 7-0 with a 103.2 average.
The reigning UK Open and US Masters champion continued his red hot form into the final with Price, running out an 8-3 winner to claim his second ProTour title.
“I’ve never thrown darts like that, the last two hours of play I just felt like I wasn’t going to miss,” admitted Aspinall.
“To throw such a big average against the World Champions makes it even more special.
“This weekend I’ve felt brilliant and I’ve beaten some quality players, I’m very happy to win my second ProTour title.
“I’m still on cloud nine to be in the Premier League. I’m still new to this game, I’m still learning.
“I know what I can do and I want to show it more consistently.”
Aspinall took out 93 to lead 4-2 in the final before breaking throw with double 16 in leg seven.
The Stockport star then finished 60 and 81 to make it 7-2 before Price grabbed a consolation leg with an 81 checkout of his own, but Aspinall quickly killed off the game in the following leg.
A further two players also achieved perfect legs on the day, with Scott Baker landing his first career nine-darter in a 6-5 defeat to Danny Noppert just minutes before Keegan Brown achieved the feat in defeating Krzysztof Kciuk.
Dirk van Duijvenbode enjoyed a superb run to his first ProTour Semi-Final just weeks after regaining a Tour Card at Qualifying School, defeating Ricky Evans and Glen Durrant along the way.
Jamie Hughes pulled off an impressive 6-5 scalp of Michael van Gerwen in the Last 16, while Saturday’s winner Gary Anderson crashed out in Round One at the hands of Steve Beaton.
Canada’s Jeff Smith, who reached the final of Saturday’s Players Championship One, continued his impressive return to the ProTour after a seven-year absence by reaching the Last 16.
Two-time BDO Champion Scott Waites also made it to the Last 16 stage, along with fellow PDC newcomer Jason Lowe.
Players Championship 2020 Event Two Results
Sunday February 9
First Round
Michael van Gerwen 6-3 Harry Ward
Mike De Decker 6-4 Ciaran Teehan
Mervyn King 6-1 Cristo Reyes
Ryan Searle 6-4 Adrian Gray
Jamie Hughes 6-2 Robert Thornton
Barrie Bates 6-4 Jesus Noguera
Jermaine Wattimena 6-5 Joe Murnan
Kai Fan Leung 6-0 Steffen Siepmann
Mensur Suljovic 6-3 Damon Heta
Maik Kuivenhoven 6-3 Ron Meulenkamp
Stephen Bunting 6-2 Aaron Beeney
Gabriel Clemens 6-2 Jelle Klaasen
James Wade 6-1 Nathan Derry
Martin Schindler 6-0 Callan Rydz
Steve West 6-4 Chris Dobey
Derk Telnekes 6-4 Gary Blades
Peter Wright 6-3 Marko Kantele
Nick Kenny 6-4 Robert Collins
Brendan Dolan 6-2 Jamie Lewis
William O’Connor 6-4 Devon Petersen
Adrian Lewis 6-4 Boris Krcmar
Justin Pipe 6-0 Richard North
Jose De Sousa 6-2 Kim Huybrechts
Wesley Harms 6-5 Rowby-John Rodriguez
Dave Chisnall 6-5 Luke Humphries
Matt Clark 6-4 Jonathan Worsley
John Henderson 6-4 Vincent Van der Meer
Jason Lowe 6-1 Matthew Edgar
Nathan Aspinall 6-1 Carl Wilkinson
Peter Jacques 6-0 Max Hopp
Keegan Brown 6-2 Krzysztof Kciuk – *Brown hits a nine-darter*
Steve Brown 6-3 Harald Leitinger
Ian White 6-1 Alan Tabern
Mike van Duivenbode 6-2 Mark McGeeney
Scott Waites 6-4 Vincent van der Voort
Geert Nentjes 6-4 Steve Lennon
Jonny Clayton 6-4 Darren Webster
Conan Whitehead 6-4 Ryan Meikle
Ross Smith 6-3 Jeffrey De Zwaan
Martijn Kleermaker 6-3 Bradley Brooks
Daryl Gurney 6-2 Andy Boulton
Jeff Smith 6-3 Darren Penhall
Danny Noppert 6-5 Scott Baker – *Baker hits a nine-darter*
Adam Hunt 6-3 Simon Stevenson
Glen Durrant 6-4 Jan Dekker
Martin Atkins 6-1 James Wilson
Ricky Evans 6-1 Gavin Carlin
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-2 William Borland
Gerwyn Price 6-5 Toni Alcinas
John Michael 6-5 Reece Robinson
Ryan Joyce 6-3 Simon Whitlock
Yordi Meeuwisse 6-4 Josh Payne
Darius Labanauskas 6-5 Rob Cross
Lisa Ashton 6-3 Christian Bunse
Michael Smith 6-2 Karel Sedlacek
Luke Woodhouse 6-3 Daniel Larsson
Krzysztof Ratajski 6-3 Ted Evetts
Niels Zonneveld 6-2 Madars Razma
Ryan Murray 6-3 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Mickey Mansell 6-5 Benito van de Pas
Andy Hamilton 6-4 Joe Cullen
Kirk Shepherd 6-2 David Pallett
Steve Beaton 6-5 Gary Anderson
Wayne Jones 6-1 Michael Barnard
Second Round
Michael van Gerwen 6-4 Mike De Decker
Ryan Searle 6-5 Mervyn King
Jamie Hughes 6-2 Barrie Bates
Jermaine Wattimena 6-4 Kai Fan Leung
Maik Kuivenhoven 6-3 Mensur Suljovic
Gabriel Clemens 6-3 Stephen Bunting
James Wade 6-5 Martin Schindler
Steve West 6-3 Derk Telnekes
Peter Wright 6-1 Nick Kenny
Brendan Dolan 6-2 William O’Connor
Adrian Lewis 6-1 Justin Pipe
Jose De Sousa 6-1 Wesley Harms
Dave Chisnall 6-4 Matt Clark
Jason Lowe 6-4 John Henderson
Nathan Aspinall 6-4 Peter Jacques
Keegan Brown 6-5 Steve Brown
Ian White 6-1 Mike van Duivenbode
Scott Waites 6-1 Geert Nentjes
Jonny Clayton 6-5 Conan Whitehead
Ross Smith 6-3 Martijn Kleermaker
Jeff Smith 6-5 Daryl Gurney
Danny Noppert 6-3 Adam Hunt
Glen Durrant 6-0 Martin Atkins
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-3 Ricky Evans
Gerwyn Price 6-2 John Michael
Ryan Joyce 6-5 Yordi Meeuwisse
Darius Labanauskas 6-2 Lisa Ashton
Michael Smith 6-2 Luke Woodhouse
Niels Zonneveld 6-4 Krzysztof Ratajski
Mickey Mansell 6-3 Ryan Murray
Kirk Shepherd 6-4 Andy Hamilton
Steve Beaton 6-5 Wayne Jones
Losers: £500
Last 32
Michael van Gerwen 6-2 Ryan Searle
Jamie Hughes 6-1 Jermaine Wattimena
Gabriel Clemens 6-2 Maik Kuivenhoven
James Wade 6-4 Steve West
Peter Wright 6-2 Brendan Dolan
Jose De Sousa 6-1 Adrian Lewis
Jason Lowe 6-2 Dave Chisnall
Nathan Aspinall 6-5 Keegan Brown
Scott Waites 6-3 Ian White
Ross Smith 6-3 Jonny Clayton
Jeff Smith 6-1 Danny Noppert
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-1 Glen Durrant
Gerwyn Price 6-0 Ryan Joyce
Michael Smith 6-4 Darius Labanauskas
Mickey Mansell 6-1 Niels Zonneveld
Kirk Shepherd 6-5 Steve Beaton
Losers: £1,000
Last 16
Jamie Hughes 6-5 Michael van Gerwen
Gabriel Clemens 6-4 James Wade
Peter Wright 6-2 Jose De Sousa
Nathan Aspinall 6-3 Jason Lowe
Ross Smith 6-1 Scott Waites
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-5 Jeff Smith
Gerwyn Price 6-5 Michael Smith
Mickey Mansell 6-2 Kirk Shepherd
Losers: £1,500
Quarter-Finals
Gabriel Clemens 6-2 Jamie Hughes
Nathan Aspinall 6-4 Peter Wright – *Aspinall hits a nine-darter*
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-4 Ross Smith
Gerwyn Price 6-0 Mickey Mansell
Losers: £2,250
Semi-Finals
Nathan Aspinall 7-0 Gabriel Clemens
Gerwyn Price 7-4 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Losers: £3,000
Final
Nathan Aspinall 8-3 Gerwyn Price
Winner: £10,000
Runner-up: £6,000
