"People keep thinking I've retired!": Nathan Aspinall jokes after European Tour exile concludes with Leverkusen return
PDCSunday, 12 July 2026 at 12:28
Nathan Aspinall began the defence of his European Darts Open title in emphatic fashion on Saturday evening. He made an excellent return to the Euro Tour stage, comfortably defeating Mickey Mansell in the second round. Averaging just over 107, the defending champion sealed a commanding 6-1 victory to book his place in the last 16 in Leverkusen.
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Aspinall made the perfect start, opening the match with a 14-darter to hold throw. Although Mansell claimed what proved to be his only leg of the contest, The Asp was never troubled.
A 12-darter restored Aspinall's lead before he moved through the gears. The former World Matchplay champion reeled off four consecutive legs, requiring just five visits to the board to complete them. He wrapped up the match with another 12-darter, capping off an outstanding display.
Aspinall finally returns to European Tour
Afterwards, Aspinall joked about his impressive return to the Euro Tour stage. "People keep thinking I've retired!"
Despite the one-sided scoreline, Aspinall praised his opponent but overall was delighted with his own display. "Mickey played well, but I felt so relaxed tonight. I think the thought of watching England later made me relax. It's a great win and I'm looking forward to tomorrow."
Nathan Aspinall finally returns to European Tour.
"I knew I had a tough game in Mickey, he plays his way but it didn't affect me, I'm just very happy with the win."
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Aspinall, who also claimed a Euro Tour title in Munich earlier this season, has therefore kept his bid for back-to-back European Darts Open titles firmly on track.
The challenge will be much tougher in the third round, where the defending champion will face Ross Smith. Smith produced an equally convincing performance in the final match of the evening session, dismantling Niels Zonneveld 6-1. The former European champion now sets up a blockbuster clash with Aspinall for a place in the quarter-finals.
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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.
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