NATHAN Aspinall hit not one, but two magical nine-dart legs during the same Players Championship event in Wigan yesterday, The Asp’s remarkable feat reminded DW of other 9-dart doubles and the amazing achievement of Messrs Taylor and Van Gerwen et al.
The Asp produced his first perfect leg against Ireland’s Steve Lennon in round two, and then – just in case anyone missed it – repeated the feat in the last 16, with Lukas Wenig on the receiving end. Quite the achievement. So much so, in fact, that the DW editor asked me to write a piece about it!
Of course, when it comes to extraordinary darting moments – and especially the fabled nine-dart leg – you can’t help but think of Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen – the only other players to have done it twice in the same game. Darts World takes you on a little trip down memory lane to revisit some of the most iconic ‘magic nine’ double moments in history
PHIL TAYLOR v James Wade
2010 Premier League Final – Wembley Arena
To this day, The Power remains the only player to record two nine-darters in a single televised match. Naturally, it had to be the great man himself, and perhaps it was fitting that a genius of another kind, Stephen Fry, was in the commentary box to witness it. Taylor sent fans wild with two moments of perfection – and in the end, he won the match 10-8, so they were pretty useful legs too.
MICHAEL VAN GERWEN v James Wade
2013 World Championship Semi-Final – Alexandra Palace
This was MVG at his unstoppable best – the era when every leg he started felt like a nine-darter was incoming. In set five of a thrilling encounter, Mighty Mike pinned D12 for perfection. But before the world had even caught its breath, he was at it again – so quickly that many thought they were watching a replay. With the same 141 finish left, surely he couldn’t go back-to-back? Sadly not, as his final dart clipped the wire. Poor Wadey – always on the receiving end of the memorable ones – somehow still won that set, though not the match.
JAMES WADE v ROB THORNTON
2014 World Grand Prix Second Round – Dublin
The only other time we’ve seen two nine-darters in the same match, perhaps poetically also involved James Wade. With this being a double-start event, nine-darters are rare beasts – only Brendan Dolan had managed one before (also against Wade!), earning himself the nickname The History Maker.
Rob Thornton, who had laid his mother to rest just hours earlier, produced a stunning performance that night, showing immense strength and composure. Both players achieved perfection – a feat that will likely never be repeated in Grand Prix history. Wade went on to reach the final but lost to Van Gerwen.
GERWYN PRICE v Michael van Gerwen & James Wade
2022 Premier League Night Three, Belfast
No one quite knows how many Shredded Wheat The Iceman had that morning, but it was clearly plenty. He rattled in not one but two nine-darters on a famous night in Belfast – even finding time for a 170 finish as he ended the night with a ‘tournament average’ of 107.58.
There were fireworks in every match: Michael Smith was served a The Big Fish in the opener, Van Gerwen got the first of the Welshman’s nine-darter handed to him in the semi, and – who else – James Wade was the recipient of his customary main-stage perfect leg in the final.
MICHAEL VAN GERWEN v Ryan Murray
2017 UK Open Qualifying Event
MVG may have been the second arrow-smith to hit perfect legs two in the same match – but if you’re following directly in the footsteps of a certain Phil The Power Taylor, you know are doing something special. Scottish slinger Ryan Murray may not be a household name like the decorated Dutchman but thanks to Mighty Mike – he’s probably the answer to a darting quiz question.
There was a time when a nine-darter was a once-in-a-blue-moon, shooting-star moment. Now, they’re almost routine. It’s not just the big names either – the youngsters are at it too. On the Development Tour and at the MODUS Live Lounge, they’re flying in thick and fast. Just last week, 14-year-old Scottish prodigy Mitchell Lawrie hit one at a Vault event, and ever since Luke Littler burst onto the scene, he’s made perfection practically part of his brand.
So, will we ever see back-to-back nine-darters in a match? MVG came the closest, Taylor managed two in the same game (with legs in between), and you can bet Littler’s got that record on his radar. But with the sheer talent in today’s game, it’s surely only a matter of time before someone pulls it off.
—–ENDS—–
Images: PDC
