Article Summary
Nathan Aspinall, the world number eight, has made it to the final four of the Premier League Darts tournament, defying his critics and overcoming online abuse, injuries, and dartitis. Meanwhile, Michael van Gerwen, a three-time world champion, failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time in his career.
What This Means for You
- Underdogs can achieve great things: Aspinall’s success shows that with determination and hard work, anyone can overcome the odds and make it to the top.
- Mental toughness is crucial: Aspinall’s resilience in the face of online abuse and dartitis demonstrates the importance of mental strength and perseverance.
- Champions can have off-days: Van Gerwen’s failure to qualify for the playoffs highlights that even the best players can have a bad season and miss out on major tournaments.
- Diversity in sports: Aspinall’s inclusion in the tournament based on his popularity and skill, rather than just his ranking, is a step towards promoting diversity in sports.
Original Post
World number eight Aspinall has confounded critics who opposed his inclusion in the eight-man competition, having been ranked 11 when the picks were made.
His inclusion was questioned by fellow players Mike de Decker and Dave Chisnall amid suggestions his popular walk-on song Mr Brightside helped his case.
The Stockport-born player has faced online abuse over his participation, as well as recovering from injuries and dartitis to reach the final four.
“I came off social media because of the abuse I was getting,” said ‘The Asp’ after his second nightly win, in Aberdeen a week ago.
“I’m not being exaggerated here, but it ruined my life for a month, not just my life, my family’s. It was horrific. “
Aspinall has also come back from elbow, wrist and back injuries, along with tackling dartitis – a condition where players have a mental block when it comes to throwing on the stage.
Missing out on qualification completes a miserable campaign for Van Gerwen, whose last nightly win came back in April 2024.
The three-time world champion had seven victories and two runner-up spots from his previous 12 campaigns, with his last Premier League title in 2023.
“This is probably one of the hardest Premier Leagues I have ever played in – not in terms of players, but in terms of myself,” Van Gerwen admitted.
His cause was not helped when missing the ninth event of the season in Berlin with a shoulder injury sustained while trying to put a shirt on.
Humphries reached the semi-finals in Sheffield with a 6-4 win over Rob Cross before a 6-2 defeat of Chris Dobey, who earlier came from 4-0 down to beat Price 6-5.
Key Terms
- Premier League Darts
- Nathan Aspinall
- Michael van Gerwen
- Dartitis
- Online Abuse
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