"When I comeback I will be a completely different person" - No World Series Finals, but Nathan Aspinall 2.0 virtually injury-free

For Nathan Aspinall, 2024 continues to be a season plagued by injuries. In particular, a tendon injury in his arm that had seen 'The Asp' out of action since the World Matchplay. Although he had hoped to back for the World Series of Darts Finals in Amsterdam, Aspinall has now been forced to withdraw from that too.

According to an announcement by the PDC, he underwent shockwave therapy all summer and hoped to make his comeback at the World Series of Darts Finals at AFAS Live this weekend. However, after further scans, the Stockport-based darter has been referred for additional treatment, preventing Aspinall from participating in the Dutch capital.

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Speaking to Online Darts, Aspinall has now elaborated a bit further on his decision to withdraw from another tournament, pushing back his return to action and giving an update as to how his recovery is going. "I had to go back to the Matchplay and give it my all to try and defend my title, but I knew it was never going to happen. Obviously, after that I made the call to pull out of everything and get it done," he recalls. "It's been a tough couple of months for me, but there's light at the end of the tunnel. The treatment has gone fantastically and we're not far off coming back!"

As mentioned though, that comeback won't coming at the World Series of Darts Finals in Amsterdam. "I've just been back to the hospital to get all of my results and basically, in a nutshell, I've had all these tendon problems, golfers elbow, tendonitis. So I've had six or seven treatments of shockwave therapy, plus rehab, but I was just still getting a lot of pain and a lot of swelling in my elbow," he explains. "There's a hell of a lot of information and it's deeper than the ligaments and the cartilage. There's basically a bone in my elbow joint that's rubbing into things. So I need to have an injection with something called plasma directly into my elbow joint. That's the last piece of the puzzle."

Aspinall had visible strapping on his last outing at the World Matchplay

As it turns out, we don't have to wait too much longer for Aspinall to return. "I'll be back Tuesday for the Pro Tours in Wigan!" 'The Asp' reveals with a smile. "It has been frustrating. I just can't wait to get back playing. I never thought I'd miss darts as much as I have but yeah, I'm just looking forward to getting back to next week."

Despite continuing to remain among the upper echelons of the darting world over the last few years, Aspinall hasn't been completely content with his own level. "I've kind of blagged a few results. Yeah I played fantastic at the 2023 World Matchplay, but prior to that, getting to the final of the Grand Slam and the Grand Prix, I don't think I was playing particularly well, I just did the right things," he explains. "Everyone knows me. I'm gritty and determined and I think that's what has got me through the last few years."

The hope now, is that with the injuries behind him, Aspinall can get back to his free-flowing, brilliant best. "I'm hoping that when I comeback I will be a completely different person. Injury-free, pain-free, clear head and just hoping I can start producing the numbers I used to," the two-time major winner concludes with optimism. "I've had the break, spent a lot of time at home with the family, something I've not really done for seven or eight years, and I feel like Nathan 2.0."

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