Danny Noppert clashed with Nathan Aspinall in the second round of the World Matchplay on Tuesday. 'The Freeze' did not get into his game well and eventually lost 11-9 to 'The Asp'.
ADVERTISEMENT
After hard work, Noppert managed to reverse a break deficit three times, but after the last rebreak for 9-9, he was then broken again. Aspinall then decided the match in his own leg.
''It really wasn't my match and I'm really disappointed with that. When you get to 9-9 you have to kick in those scores of 140 and 180. But all credits to him, he was the rightful winner in this fighting match," Noppert commented afterwards for Viaplay's camera.
At the same time, Noppert also expressed his disappointment with the English crowd in Blackpool, which was clearly behind Aspinall and booed the Dutchman at key moments.
''A bit of a shame, they didn't want me to win. There really should be another TV tournament in the Netherlands, that would make a difference for me,'' said Noppert, who did not want to use the crowd's behavior as an excuse for his defeat. ''I couldn't find myself and threw very sloppy, far below par. I just tapped the 90 average, which is far below my ability."
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.