Annoyance over sportsmanship between Luke Littler and Nathan Aspinall: "I'm done with that fist-bumping at some point"

Luke Littler managed to qualify for the semi-finals at the 2025 PDC World Darts Championship on Wednesday night. In a one-sided match, he beat his compatriot Nathan Aspinall 5-2. During the match, things were very friendly between the two good friends, who fist-bumped each other regularly throughout.

One of the other quarter-final matches between Chris Dobey and Gerwyn Price was more fiery. This match was won 5-3 by Dobey, but the fires were typically stoked by Price after the Welshman managed to come back to 4-3 after falling behind 4-2. "It's kind of a character," says Vincent Van der Voort in the podcast Darts Draait Door of Price. "That loud screaming in between, then laughing and then dancing. It's someone you come to a venue like that for anyway. Is there always something. You can cheer him on, boo him; it's always good with him."

Read also

"It’s a nightmare, It's doing my head in" - Gerwyn Price opens up on ear issue as 2025 PDC World Darts Championship campaign comes to an end

In the seventh set, Dobey missed five match darts to decide the match before Price was able to make it exciting. 'The Iceman' then tried to get inside Dobey's head, but failed. "That's actually how it should be anyway," Van der Voort felt. "At least he's someone who wants to compete. You shouldn't just let him lead you to the slaughter, after all. I'd rather have that than Littler against Aspinall running around fist-bumping each other after every set."

This sporting behaviour did not exactly meet with the approval of the Dutch dart player, who has competed in the PDC World Darts Championship 16 times in the past. "With the fist-bumping I'm done at a certain point. Afterwards you're just okay with each other, but at that point just try to have a little fight with each other."

Although that is easier said than done when players are up against Littler. "I think Littler is in such a phase now that a lot of players already have fear of him beforehand," Van der Voort continued. "That they feel they can't miss anything and have to play fantastic. Whatever the real greats, like Michael van Gerwen and Phil Taylor, had. Then you have to pump yourself up so much, and if that doesn't work, then you think: there is no way to win from this."

Read also

"If that's the case, you're not the boss at home" - Van der Voort pokes fun at Peter Wright's relationship with wife

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Unlock your ultimate darts experience—subscribe today for exclusive access to top stories.

Subscribe