“As far as I’m concerned, it was only a matter of time before it happened at a major” – Wessel Nijman doesn’t see his upset against Nathan Aspinall as a surprise

Wessel Nijman produced the performance of his career to dump out former champion Nathan Aspinall on debut at the 2025 World Matchplay, landing a series of nerveless checkouts to underline his credentials as one of the sport’s rising stars. Afterwards, Nijman spoke to Dartsnews and reflected on his win.

The Dutchman averaged over 101 in a 10–6 victory, holding off a spirited mid-match surge from Aspinall—who landed two spectacular 121 finishes on the bull—but couldn’t keep pace with Nijman’s relentless scoring and clinical finishing.

“It’s a bit of nerves, enjoyment and proudness, I think,” said Nijman after the match. “I think it’s probably the best game I’ve played on a big stage—not averaging-wise, but finishing-wise and doing the good things at the good moments. I’m just a very happy man right now.”

The 24-year-old has long been tipped for success, showing flashes of brilliance on the floor and in TV events like last year’s Grand Slam. But this was the first time he turned performance into victory on the big stage—and it didn’t come as a surprise to him. “It doesn't feel like a big surprise to me, to be honest, because I know I've got it in me,” he said. “I've shown it on the floor, I've shown it on the Pro Tour and the Euro Tours. I thought to myself it was just a matter of time before it got into major tournaments like today.”

Having served a suspension earlier in his career, Nijman’s path back to the top has been anything but straightforward—but his belief never wavered. “I obviously know what I can play and how I can play. I knew I had it still in me, but I didn't know for sure if I was going to do it like this. As I said, I'm a happy man now.”

Aspinall embraced Nijman warmly after the final dart, and the Dutchman was full of praise for his opponent’s sportsmanship. “He was very respectful to me,” he said. “We did it on the Euro Tour—I think it was Rosmalen or Leverkusen—when we had the semi-final against each other. He said I was good under pressure. All good words.”

With the Blackpool crowd firmly behind Aspinall, Nijman handled the occasion with surprising composure. “I think when you're in front, you don't really care about the crowd being against you. I was more enjoying it than I felt like it pressurised me. I think when you're in front, it's all right, isn't it?”

The booing crowd didn’t faze him—it only added to the occasion. “Yeah, I started enjoying it when his walk-on was on. I said it before to my mate who was with me—I said, I’m a lucky guy, I got the first walk-on, so I’ve got to enjoy his walk-on in the best place. So I think the enjoying bit got it probably over the line for me in the end.”

Earlier in the evening, fellow Dutchman Gian van Veen had shocked world number one Luke Humphries, but Nijman insisted his focus remained internal. “No, not really Gian,” he said when asked if the upset inspired him. “But the Matchplay is a really special tournament. The last eight winners were different ones, so surprises are not really a surprise here. I knew I could win, especially when I played my own game—and I felt like I did today.”

His finishing was the standout feature of the performance, and with James Wade awaiting in the second round, that aspect will again be crucial. “I don’t really know how I'm going to feel that day, but if I do the same as I did today, I think it will be all right,” Nijman said. “At the Grand Slam, I played really well, but I just didn’t win. I felt relaxed at the Grand Slam. I didn’t feel really relaxed at the Worlds, but I felt relaxed today. You know sometimes you've got the feeling before the game starts and you know—I'm relaxed today. Today could be a really, really nice day.”

Looking ahead to Wade, he added: “It’s obviously a very different player, how he plays. As I said in my pre-match interview at Sky, I’m trying to look just at myself, and when I feel relaxed and when I play my own game, I can beat anyone.”

Despite his growing reputation, Nijman said he’s not weighed down by the expectation. “I don’t think it’s really a big pressure, but it’s there. I said it at the Worlds—they put me like seventh or eighth favourite for it. I don’t really feel pressure on me, but you know it’s there, you maybe feel it a bit. But yeah, as I say, if I do my own thing, I think we’ll be alright anyway.”

Preparation, he explained, is kept simple and consistent—regardless of the occasion. “I try to do the same thing. I normally go like four hours before the match—I go in. That’s what I do on Pro Tours, that’s what I do on Euro Tour. But now I know I’ve got some media requirements and I did a challenge for the charity. Then I do five hours just to get that extra time. I do the media and all, I know I’ve got my own four hours. From that four hours, I do the same thing every time.”

While he’s still relatively new to the TV stage, Nijman knows the importance of a win like this. “I think you saw my reaction - it means a lot," he says. "Now we’ve got to calm down and prepare again for the game against James.”

And whether or not there would be a Dutch celebration backstage, one thing was certain. “I don’t know if I’m going to celebrate with the other Dutch guys,” he smiled, “but I’m going to celebrate for sure.”

Despite shocks for Luke Humphries and Nathan Aspinall in his section, Nijman isn’t getting ahead of himself. “No, I take it one match at a time,” he said. “That’s what I’m doing when I play Pro Tour, Euro Tour or a major event. Just one match at a time.”

And after one of the biggest nights of his career, he wasn’t about to play it down. “Yeah, that’s why I said—we’re going to party tonight.”