"Them two are dominating and we don't like it": Nathan Aspinall says Littler and Humphries have given elite a kick up the backside

Nathan Aspinall breezed past Stowe Buntz in his opener at the 2024 US Darts Masters 6-2 and despite recent heartache on the oche, he is glad to get that winning feeling again. As well as being back in New York for the grandest World Series tournament of the season.

"I wouldn't say it's relief like I'm desperate. But it's nice to get that winning feeling back. When I've been playing darts recently, it's been heartbreak as opposed to a buzzing feeling. I really enjoyed that game, I enjoyed it last year. I loved the walk-on. It's just a fantastic crowd. Everyone I met on the meet and greet last night, thank you for coming that's what they keep saying. If you can't go out there and put on a show with a smile on your face then don't play darts," said Aspinall.

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"Stowe is a fantastic man, great darts player, lovely bloke. I tried to put on a show for the crowd. I was getting annoyed, I couldn't hit a 180. Last dart so many times."

He also gave credit to the CDC for bringing through top talent as well as the US fans. "We know them all apart from Adam (Sevada), I'm not going to say that to his face because he's a big lad," joked Aspinall. "But we know all seven. One's still on the tour, everyone knows about Jeff. I think it's a testament to the CDC of the talent that's coming through. If you look at the averages, they're all averaging 89+. So we know we haven't got it easy. There's not one player in that back room, I'm telling you now that's confident they're going to win like easy. People know they've got to play well tonight."

"This is just a lovely occasion. This is probably my favourite World Series. You're in the Big Apple, it's an amazing place and you play in Madison Square Garden. As Brits we look at the US like they're so dramatic but they put on an amazing show. They love the sport."

But also much to his surprise he was asked about Luke Humphries. He tried to catch the interviewer out hilarious when he mentioned Luke, but to his surprise it was Humphries as he lauded both him and Luke Littler.

"Luke is amazing. I keep saying in my interviews, he's the best player on the planet. You've got no idea what a nice guy he is off the oche. We're good friends. What he's done for the sport as well as the other Luke (Littler) has been amazing over the last four months. He's kind of given myself and others a kick up the backside I think we've all needed. Them two are dominating and we don't like it. We want to be part of that conversation."