They think it’s all over … and for the 2025 Euro Tour, concluding with the words ‘hatrick’ and ‘Germany’ in the same sentence.
It was a beautifully taken strike with the The Asp cruising past Steve Lennon on the wing, cutting inside a bewildered looking Jermaine Wattimena to create the chance. Once in the box, he expertly side-stepped Gian van Veen and smashed his shot beyond the reach of Dirk van Diving-to-his-left.
If there was ever a man who enjoyed playing in Germany more than Harry Kane lately, it’s The Asp. The Stockport Ace’s campaign began in turbo mode with back-to-back ton-plus averages – 103 and 107 – in wins over Maximilian Czerwinski and Ross Smith. The message was clear: you can run, but you can’t hide from The Asp when he’s scoring like that.
On finals day, he decided to crank things up another notch. A 110 average dismantled Steve Lennon, before he dismissed the self proclaimed ‘most complete Dutchman’ Jermaine Wattimena (his words not mine). That set up a tasty tungsten tie with the reigning World Youth Champ.
Van Veen’s semi-final clash looked all but over when Aspinall trailed 6-3, but anyone who’s watched him knows he treats deficits like mild inconveniences. Four straight legs later, seven 180s on the board, and the young Netherlands star was left wondering how he’d been pickpocketed.
The final brought another Dutch test in Van Duijvenbode – the man who throws like he’s trying to knock satellites out of orbit. He’d already hit a nine-darter on day one and nearly repeated the trick in leg two, settling for a ten-darter and a theatrical scream for good measure.
For a while, it was neck and neck – four legs each, both averaging the kind of numbers that make club players quietly put their darts away. But then Aspinall, in full rhythm, hit three legs in 14, 13 and 14 darts to stretch clear, followed by a slick 121 checkout to lead 6-2.
Naturally, that’s when Dirk woke up. The Titan reeled off four legs of his own to level at six apiece, leaving Aspinall briefly regretting every missed double since breakfast. But the Stockport lad isn’t known for collapsing – he steadied, held throw in leg 13, and coolly pinned 74 to wrap up another title and the European Tour season in style.
“I went 6-2 up, then Dirk did to me what I usually do to everyone else,” said Aspinall afterwards with a grin. “It’s been an amazing weekend – I’m number one seed for the European Championship and full of confidence.”
Aspinall joins Michael van Gerwen, Peter Wright, Luke Humphries, and Dave Chisnall as just the fifth player to win three Euro Tour titles in a single year. “Not bad company,” he smiled. It only took the Mancunian ten years to figure out how to win one, but once you find the formula, it’s like riding a bike – except the bike’s on fire and your opponent’s Dutch.
Van Duijvenbode, despite missing out on the £30,000 top prize, could hold his head high. His nine-darter, a 117.74 average against Chris Dobey, and deciding-leg wins over Martin Schindler and Peter Wright proved he’s back to his ferocious best. He even flattened Krzysztof Ratajski 7-3 in the semis – though Ratajski’s own run was enough to punch his European Championship ticket.
Elsewhere, Gian van Veen looked electric too – averaging over 105 against Danny Noppert and dismantling Jonny Clayton 6-1, before running into Aspinall’s late-night demolition service. Noppert himself had earlier overturned a 4-0 deficit to Gerwyn Price, because apparently comebacks as well as blistering ton averages were the theme of the weekend.
So, the 2025 European Tour curtain closes with The Asp grinning on stage, another trophy in hand, and a queue of Dutchmen wondering what on earth just happened. Next stop: Dortmund, where 32 of the continent’s finest – including one very confident Stockport showman – will fight for the European Championship crown. We are sure Nathan is already eyeing up a fourth goal in another German city.
If recent form’s anything to go by, The Asp might just have saved enough venom for one more bite.
Sunday October 19
Afternoon Session
Round Three
Danny Noppert 6-5 Gerwyn Price
Gian van Veen 6-1 Jonny Clayton
Nathan Aspinall 6-2 Steve Lennon
Jermaine Wattimena 6-2 Wessel Nijman
Peter Wright 6-4 Cameron Menzies
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-5 Martin Schindler
Dave Chisnall 6-2 Ricky Evans
Krzysztof Ratajski 6-2 Ryan Joyce
Evening Session
Quarter-Finals
Gian van Veen 6-3 Danny Noppert
Nathan Aspinall 6-4 Jermaine Wattimena
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-5 Peter Wright
Krzysztof Ratajski 6-5 Dave Chisnall
Semi-Finals
Nathan Aspinall 7-6 Gian van Veen
Dirk van Duijvenbode 7-3 Krzysztof Ratajski
Final
Nathan Aspinall 8-6 Dirk van Duijvenbode
—–ENDS—–
Images: Sebastian Doppstadt/PDC Europe
