“That is not fun” – Nathan Aspinall’s dartitis struggles re-emerge in sweltering end to European Darts Open title defence

Nathan Aspinall admitted he was again “struggling with the throw” after his European Darts Open title defence ended in the oppressive heat of Leverkusen.

The Englishman was beaten 6-4 by Krzysztof Ratajski in Sunday evening’s quarter-finals, with the Pole later going on to lift the title. Aspinall showed flashes of his best darts, including back-to-back 180s that briefly opened the door to a nine-darter, but his familiar release problems were also visible during a tense contest.

Writing on Instagram after his exit, Aspinall summed up a difficult evening in Leverkusen.

“That is not fun,” he wrote. “Wow, that was hot. Struggling with the throw, but we will get through it as always.”

Aspinall began positively with a 15-dart hold, but his first problems arrived in the second leg. Four darts at double 11 went begging, allowing Ratajski to level on double five.

The defending champion still found a way to edge back in front. Despite continuing difficulty with the release of the dart, Aspinall eventually pinned double two to move 2-1 ahead.

His best scoring burst came in the fifth leg. Aspinall opened with consecutive 180s to leave 141 after six darts, although his seventh dart drifted over the treble 20 wire to end hopes of a nine-darter. He returned to take the leg on double eight and restore his advantage.

Ratajski continued to keep pace, levelling at 3-3 with a 79 checkout before securing the first break of the match. Aspinall responded immediately after the Pole slid into double one while attempting to complete 117, cleaning up five through single three and double one to make it 4-4.

That proved to be Aspinall’s final leg of the weekend. Ratajski produced a 12-darter to move back in front, then closed out the contest on double four as Aspinall struggled to apply pressure in the final leg.

The defeat brought an end to Aspinall’s reign in Leverkusen, having beaten Damon Heta 8-6 to win the European Darts Open twelve months earlier.

Aspinall has spoken candidly throughout his battle with dartitis, and the wording of his latest update suggested another difficult spell rather than a new problem.

His social-media message did not dwell entirely on the negatives, however. The former UK Open and World Matchplay champion also thanked the crowd after another strongly supported weekend on the European Tour. “Support yet again was unreal this weekend,” he added.

Aspinall now has little time to reset before the World Matchplay begins in Blackpool next weekend. He heads to the Winter Gardens having shown that his scoring power remains intact, but with the battle to release the dart once again forming part of the picture.