15:33
Top again!
In the beginning, Nathan Aspinall struggled with the double 20, but now the arrows are flying in more and more confidently. The Englishman snaps the slightly hasty skirt with his next 180 and this time checks tops right off the bat. 2:0!
15:32
“The Asp” starts with the break
After the furious start, both have now leveled off at an average of just under 100 points. Who is more stable and consistent now? Rock opens the third set but quickly falls behind as Aspinall continues to burn 140 after 140 into the board. This time the double 20 is only adorned once, then the break is sealed.
15:26
Aspinall cheats through
The scoring is brilliant for both, but Aspinall suddenly has the worm at checkout. Again the Englishman misses the double 20, and four times! Rock’s counterattack to 64 isn’t successful this time, and after taking a deep breath, “The Asp” still pins tops to equalize the set!
15:22
A festival of the 180s
It’s getting crazier. The two drive each other to absolute peak performance. Aspinall starts with his next 180, Rock immediately counters with his own max. “The Asp” can face 40, but then doesn’t get past it. So “Rocky” gets back into business with the next 180 and then pins D13 to make it 1:2.
15:20
Incredible level
Nathan Aspinall immediately followed up and raced with a 180 for a break chance. Rock holds up well with two 140s, but is also unlucky with a bouncer. So 2The Asp” 41 can check on D16 and get the break.
15:19
Aspinall submits
Nathan Aspinall can now start the second set. And the Englishman has to get that if he wants to keep up the pressure on the young challenger here. Both have an average of well over 100 points and both start again with a 140. And a little later both have 170 as a rest. But it doesn’t fall yet and Aspinall checks D8 with the third dart a little later to make it 1-0.
15:12
“Rocky” checks 141 to the set
Both start strong with a 140, but then only Aspinall hits a second 140 and gets the advantage. But Rock stays tuned, scores heavily again and then has 141 on the clock. About T20, T19 and D12, the 21-year-old removes them as naturally as if they were nothing. The boy is really cold!
15:10
First decider
The first set goes the full distance. In the fourth leg, both slacked off scoring a bit and Aspinall ended up hitting D9 to make it 2-2. It goes straight into the first decider.
15:08
180s on the assembly line
Josh Rock already has three maximums in the statistics. The youngster doesn’t seem to feel any pressure here and stands with a 102 to 40 rest. Tops then checks “Rocky” confidently.
15:06
Brilliant level
Nathan Aspinall is there as well, leading the way on his first throw leg. Both have an average of well over 100 points. “The Asp” turns 36 and hits his favorite double on the 18 right away. 1:1
15:05
Nervousness quickly discarded
Josh Rock starts a little nervously with two shots without a triple hit, but then he hammers his first 180 into the board. The Northern Irishman followed up with 134 and then checked 85 via T15, 20 and D10 to make it 1-0. So you can get started in the first World Cup third round match of your career.
15:02
Clear the stage!
Here we go! Nathan Aspinall and Josh Rock have already entered the stage and just peppered a few last practice darts into the board before “Rocky” is allowed to start the duel right away.
14:54
Josh “Rocky” Rock
Josh Rock is without a doubt the newcomer of the season. The 21-year-old only earned his tour card at the Q-School at the beginning of the year, meanwhile he has already won five titles on the Development Tour and even won a Pro Tour event on the Players Championship. The Northern Irishman also showed a strong performance in his first majors, achieved high averages and even threw a nine-darter against Michael van Gerwen in the round of 16 in the Grand Slam of Darts. Recently “Rocky” was crowned Junior World Champion for the first time. At his first PDC World Championship Rock started with sovereign victories over José Justicia (3:1) and Callan Rydz (3:0).
14:50
Nathan “The Asp” Aspinall
Nathan Aspinall has struggled with health problems for the past two years. Due to a protracted tendonitis, the Englishman even started with a tape at the last World Cup and was eliminated in the third round. Most recently, however, “The Asp” showed increasing form again. He won his first and only title of the year at the Players Championship 22, after which he reached two major finals at the World Grand Prix and the Grand Slam of Darts. Aspinall can be expected again just in time for the World Cup, where the 31-year-old was already in the semi-finals in 2019 and 2020.
14:49
Second match
In the second match of the day, Englishman Nathan Aspinall and shooting star Josh Rock from Northern Ireland face each other in just a few minutes.