"Are you watching, Jonny?" – Nathan Aspinall sends message to Clayton as resounding whitewash win sets up showdown between major champions in Basel

Nathan Aspinall wasted no time in making his intentions clear at the 2025 Swiss Darts Trophy – both on the board and off it. After sweeping aside Andreas Toft Jorgensen with a ruthless 6-0 victory in Basel, the former UK Open and World Matchplay champion turned his attention to Saturday’s mouth-watering second round clash with Jonny Clayton.

“Happy days. Are you watching, Jonny?” Aspinall grinned when informed he had beaten Clayton in each of their last four meetings. It was a remark that summed up his current mood: sharp, confident and very much in tournament-winning mode.

The Asp wasted little energy in dispatching Toft Jorgensen, racing out of the blocks with a 14-dart break and barely loosening his grip thereafter. At one stage, his average was around 30 points higher than the Dane’s. Toft Jorgensen briefly lifted the crowd with a 180 in the sixth leg, but Aspinall immediately matched him with a maximum of his own before pinning double eight to close out the whitewash.

It was clinical, efficient, and exactly the kind of performance expected from a man with designs on going all the way. Aspinall’s final average of 94.93 didn’t tell the whole story – he was never under pressure and still produced six scores of 100+, five 140s and three 180s. By contrast, Toft Jorgensen mustered just one maximum and a 71.27 average.

Yet Aspinall made sure to praise his opponent for embracing the occasion. “We had a bit of fun there. He got the crowd involved on that 180 and I followed it, but that’s what darts is about. He doesn’t get to play on stage very often, so he’s enjoying the moment. But I’m here to win a tournament, and I thought I was very professional out there.”

The Stockport man also acknowledged the difficulties faced by qualifiers when thrust onto the European Tour stage. “I’ve been in that position plenty of times, I’ve been hammered enough myself,” he said. “But it doesn’t matter who you play these days, everyone’s capable. Last week you saw the guy who played Luke Woodhouse – the qualifier was fantastic. These players get one shot a year to perform, and it’s tough. We’re doing this week in, week out. So I do feel for them, but at the end of the day, I’ve got a job to do.”

Toft Jorgensen, for his part, had told Aspinall before the match that he was looking forward to joining in with his walk-on. “That gave me a smile,” Aspinall admitted. “Fair play to the kid. And the crowd here in Switzerland are amazing as always. I’ll be back tomorrow.”

Tomorrow brings a far sterner challenge: Jonny Clayton, a man who knows how to win on the Euro Tour and who has shared big-stage battles with Aspinall before. Yet the Englishman is adamant his form since returning from a short break earlier this year gives him the edge.

“Since I came back, I think I’ve only had one bad game – against Chizzy in Amsterdam. Apart from that, I’ve been averaging 96-plus every match, so I’m confident and I know I’m playing well,” he said.

For Aspinall, the energy of the crowd continues to be a decisive factor. “The difference is the emotion and adrenaline. If it’s not going my way, I feed off the crowd. Wherever I go, they seem to love me, and I can’t thank them enough for their support in every country. If I’m struggling, they get me through.”

Clayton remains one of the circuit’s most consistent performers and is a close friend of Aspinall’s away from the stage. But there will be no room for sentiment once the walk-ons are complete on Saturday evening.

“Jonny’s a class act and a great friend of mine,” Aspinall said with a smirk. “But hopefully we’ll be sending the Ferret home.”

In this mood, and with Basel already buzzing behind him, it will take something special to stop him.