The 2023 World Matchplay provided some fantastic memories and in some ways typifies the fantastic 2020s decade so far. The Covid effect was put to bed by a local boy coming good and new girl stepping up. here how we covered it from DartsWorld Extra (Issue 11):
Nathan Aspinall became a two-time PDC Major Champion after he clinched his maiden World Matchplay title at the Winter Gardens, defeating Jonny Clayton with a remarkable display.
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The win allowed the man from Stockport to pay for his family home, as he added the Phil Taylor trophy, and £200,000 in prize money, to the UK Open crown, he won back in 2019.
The ASP opened his Matchplay campaign with back-to-back 98+ averages in beating Krzysztof Ratajski in the First Round, clinching a 10-7 win over the Polish Eagle. The Englishman marched into his 3rd consecutive Quarter Final in Blackpool, after beating another former UK Open Champion Danny Noppert 11-9.
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The World Matchplay Last 8 draw was as open as it’s ever been in what was the competition’s 30th staging, with the likes of Michael van Gerwen, Gerwyn Price, Peter Wright, Michael Smith, and Dimitri van den Bergh all out before the Quarter Finals.
Aspinall faced Chris Dobey who had dumped the reigning World Champion out in the Last 16. It was to be no Hollywood though ending on this occasion, as the former UK Open Champion came out a 16-12 winner despite the Bedlington born player leading at the first two intervals.
Nathan would face Joe Cullen in the Semi Finals, with the Rockstar coming into the match having claimed the scalps of Mike de Decker, Daryl Gurney and 2022 Runner Up Gerwyn Price. The Bradford born thrower defeated The Iceman in overtime, claiming a 13-11 victory including 2 finishes of 112.
The Stockport born player was the first man through to the Grand Finale at the Winter Gardens, winning 17-9 in the first Semi Final on the Saturday night with 11 180s and a 116 finish in the 11th leg of the game.
Jonny Clayton came through the other half of the draw, with 6 ton plus checkouts in his Quarter Final win over Ryan Searle before coming through an epic with fellow Red Dragon player Luke Humphries. The Ferret clinched a 17-15 win over the recent 2-time European Darts Matchplay winner, crucially breaking with an 80 checkout in the 32nd leg.
The Final started with five consecutive holds of throw as both players looked to settle any nerves on the Blackpool stage, with the Stockport man including a 110 finish on double 18 in the opening leg.
The Englishman instantly broke in the 2nd mini session with a 108 finish, but still went in after 10 legs at 5-5. The Ferret produced a clinical ton plus checkout that he had showcased throughout the whole tournament, hitting double 12 to finish 141 in the 7th leg.
Aspinall began to put his foot down as he claimed the third session without reply from his opponent, breaking throw twice as he became the first player to hit double digits in relation to legs won.
The ASP included a 170 finish to claim the UK Open crown back in 2019 where he beat Rob Cross 11-5, and he repeated the trick in Blackpool. Nathan moved into an 11-5 lead with his first bullseye finish of the 2023 World Matchplay, going within 7 legs of his first Winter Gardens title.
The 32-year-old went in at 15-5 as he continued to give the Ferret no room for error in the Final, breaking again with a ton plus checkout after hiting 115 to win the 18th leg.
Clayton stopped what was an 11-leg winning run from Aspinall on double 5, with only Phil Taylor the other player to have achieved the same feat in a major Final.
The Englishman wrapped up victory after hitting the same double with his last dart in hand, as he became the 12th winner of the World Matchplay in the 30th staging of the competition.
“It’s an amazing feeling. I’m so happy for me and my family and so proud of myself. I did so well to keep it at 5-5. I was doing Jonny Clayton things! I was taking out those three-dart combinations and that kept me in the game.”
“I think that third session was the key. I don’t know what it was, but then I suddenly found my scoring, and I finished brilliantly all game.”
Jonny Clayton gained large amounts of support through the whole 2023 World Matchplay after revealing in an interview that his father was suffering from illness. The Ferret’s showing at the Winter Gardens will certainly have made his dad/ biggest fan proud, after producing his career best run in Blackpool having reached the Last 16 as his furthest run before thisbyear.
Clayton produced an impressive display to defeat former Matchplay winner Dimitri van den Bergh in the Last 16, claiming an 11-6 win in Blackpool. The former Premier League winner averaged 101.90 with a checkout rate of 57.89% having found the 2nd 170 finish of the tournament in the 4th leg.
“I knew I had to play well tonight, and thankfully I did. It’s been very difficult, but I’m here to do a job, and I’m trying my best to do it, so today was a good day.”
Beau’s Darts Dominance Extended
Beau Greaves became the second player to win the Women’s World Matchplay after beating Mikuru Suzuki 6-1 in the Final, claiming successes over Robyn Byrne and Noa-Lyn van Leuven earlier in the day.
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The number 1 ranked player on the Women’s Series will compete in the Grand Slam of Darts and the 2024 PDC World Championship after winning in Blackpool and went on to claim all 4 Women’s Series Events at the Marshall Arena a week later.
A fantastic showing from Nathan Aspinall as he became a 2-time Major Champion at the Winter Gardens, ending a 4 year wait for another major trophy..
Images: PDC
Words: Harry Masterson
Originally published in Darts World Extra (11) (Summer 2023) with additional editing for context.
Magazine Pages/Graphics: Darts World Ltd
