Paddy Power World Darts Championship - Day 4 Recap

Nathan Aspinall beats Leonard Gates 3-1

The Paddy Power World Darts Championship continued on Day 4, bringing intense battles and standout performances to Alexandra Palace. The highlight of the evening was Nathan Aspinall’s hard-fought 3-1 victory over Leonard Gates.

Aspinall Held Firm Against a Spirited Gates

It was a difficult night for Winmau-sponsored player Leonard Gates as he faced 12th seed Nathan Aspinall, who came into the match determined to recover from a challenging year and his first-round exit in last year’s tournament.

The opening set was tightly contested, with Gates showing solid scoring and composure on his doubles. However, Aspinall managed to edge it, taking an early lead. Gates fought back well in the second set, finding his rhythm to level the match at 1-1.

As the match progressed, Aspinall began to settle into his game. He broke Gates' throw in the third set, taking control with consistent finishing under pressure. In the fourth set, Aspinall maintained his focus to close out the match, securing a 3-1 victory and booking his place in the third round.

“It was a very tough game of darts,” Aspinall admitted post-match. “I felt really good coming into the tournament, but I put myself under too much pressure to perform tonight. It wasn’t pretty, but I won the game, and now I can enjoy Christmas and come back stronger after the break.”

Elsewhere on Day 4

While Aspinall and Gates provided the evening’s drama, there were plenty of other highlights throughout the day.

• Christian Kist’s Nine-Darter: In one of the most memorable moments of the championship so far, Christian Kist delivered a perfect leg against Madars Razma in the opening set of their first-round match. Despite this historic achievement, Kist ultimately lost 3-1 to Razma, who now faces Dirk van Duijvenbode in the next round.
  
• Ricky Evans Advances: Ricky Evans edged past Gordon Mathers in a nail-biting five-set clash, setting up a second-round meeting with sixth seed Dave Chisnall. Evans reflected on the challenge ahead, saying, “I’m going to have to play a lot better against Dave, but it still might not be enough.”
• Paolo Nebrida Triumphs: In the opening match of the day, Paolo Nebrida overcame Jim Williams 3-2 in a sudden-death fifth-set leg. This win marked Nebrida’s first Ally Pally victory and earned him a second-round clash with Ross Smith.

Day 4 Highlights:

3x First Round, 1x Second Round

• • Paolo Nebrida 3-2 Jim Williams (3-2, 1-3, 3-1, 0-3, 3-2) (R1)
  • Madars Razma 3-1 Christian Kist (2-3, 3-1, 3-1, 3-2) (R1) - Christian Kist hits nine-dart finish
  • Ricky Evans 3-2 Gordon Mathers (3-1, 0-3, 3-1, 1-3, 3-1) (R1)
  • Nathan Aspinall 3-1 Leonard Gates (3-1, 2-3, 3-1, 3-2) (R2)

Looking Ahead

As the tournament progresses, the stage is set for more high-stakes matchups, we look forward to Winmau-sponsored player Nitin Kumar as he goes up against Martin Lukeman today. Red Dragon’s Robert Owen also matches up today against Gabriel Clemens and Nick Kenny faces up against USA’s Stowe Buntz tonight.

Aspinall’s victory secures him a spot in the third round, where he awaits the winner of Andrew Gilding, Martin Lukeman, or Nitin Kumar.

*Photos Credited to PDC*