Nathan Aspinall looked like a man ready to produce another huge performance at the World Grand Prix. Instead, his semi-final against Gerwyn Price ended with frustration, an audible F-bomb and the possibility of disciplinary action.
The Stockport star had every reason to be confident going into the match after producing one of the best performances of the tournament just 24 hours earlier. But against Price, things quickly became difficult, and his emotions eventually boiled over in front of the live television cameras.
Now Aspinall is facing the prospect of a fine from the Darts Regulation Authority, while Price has revealed that he was unhappy with some of his friend’s behaviour during the contest.
Aspinall’s Brilliant Quarter-Final Was Quickly Forgotten
It is important not to lose sight of what Aspinall had achieved before the semi-final.
The 35-year-old demolished Ryan Joyce 3-0 in the quarter-finals, averaging 105.15. That was the fourth-highest average ever recorded at the World Grand Prix and the highest recorded in a best-of-five-sets match at the double-start tournament.
That performance made his meeting with Price particularly intriguing.
Aspinall appeared to have found something in Leicester, and there was genuine reason to believe he could push the former World Grand Prix champion all the way.
Instead, Price immediately took control.
The Welshman raced into a 3-0 lead, winning the opening set without Aspinall getting a dart at a double before edging the second set in a deciding leg. He then moved three sets clear after Aspinall missed six darts to hold in the third.
Aspinall Refuses to Give Up
To his credit, Aspinall did not simply disappear.
He fought his way back into the match by winning the fourth and fifth sets, and one moment in particular showed exactly why he remains such a dangerous player.
With Price threatening to regain control, Aspinall produced a spectacular 132 checkout featuring two bullseyes to reduce the deficit to 3-2.
Suddenly, the match looked completely different.
Aspinall had gone from being three sets behind to within touching distance of an unlikely comeback. The crowd was behind him, and Price suddenly had a much more difficult contest on his hands.
But the comeback ultimately stopped there.
Price edged the sixth set before controlling the seventh to complete a 5-2 victory and book his place in the World Grand Prix final.
Then Came the Moment Everyone Was Talking About
The result itself was only part of the story.
During the latter stages of the match, Aspinall became visibly frustrated after missing the treble 19. His reaction was picked up by the live broadcast, with the Englishman heard shouting an expletive before retrieving his darts.
Sky Sports commentators subsequently apologised to viewers for the language.
For darts fans, this is not exactly unheard of. Players compete in an environment where every missed dart can carry enormous consequences, and emotions can spill over.
But there are rules governing player conduct, and that is where Aspinall could now have a problem.
Under Rule 3.14 of the DRA Rule Book, players are prohibited from using or mouthing offensive language during match play. There is no single automatic fine for every incident, meaning any punishment depends on the circumstances of the case.
So while Aspinall has not simply been handed a publicly confirmed fixed penalty, the incident is expected to attract disciplinary attention.
Price Wasn’t Happy With Aspinall
The other fascinating part of the story came after the match.
Price revealed that he had become frustrated with Aspinall’s reactions to the crowd. And considering the two players are good friends, his comments were surprisingly direct.
“Nathan was complaining about the crowd but they were on his side.”
Price explained that he had spoken to Aspinall during the match after moving 3-0 ahead.
“I’m 3-0 up and I go back and say to Nathan “they’re on your side bud, come on. Stop performing on the board and just play darts.”
That is quite a message to receive from the player standing on the other side of the oche.
Price believed Aspinall was allowing the atmosphere to get into his head rather than concentrating on his own performance.
“I was a little bit upset with him. As good as the crowd is for me, they were all for him. He’s performing a little bit on stage, I told him I wasn’t happy.”
Price, however, was careful to make clear that this was not the beginning of some major feud.
“I’m great friends with Nathan but sometimes you’ve just got to let your darts go. When you’re losing you’re losing.”
That distinction matters.
Darts is full of intense rivalries, but players can be fiercely competitive on stage and still remain close friends away from it. Price’s comments sounded much more like frustration between two competitors than a personal falling-out.
Price Admits He Was Frustrated Too
Interestingly, Price was hardly claiming that he had produced a perfect performance.
After the match, he admitted that he had been frustrated for much of the contest.
“I was frustrated 90% of that game and it’s not good.”
He also described the match as being “up and down” and acknowledged that he still has another level to find.
That honesty is significant because Price is now into another major final and will need to improve if he wants to lift the trophy.
Despite the drama, he got the job done.
And that is something Price has become increasingly good at this year. Saturday’s victory secured his third consecutive major final, following runner-up finishes at the World Matchplay and World Series Finals.
Aspinall Can Still Take Plenty From Leicester
The fine will obviously be frustrating if it arrives, but it should not completely overshadow Aspinall’s tournament.
His 105.15 quarter-final average was outstanding, and reaching the semi-final demonstrated that he remains capable of making deep runs at major events.
The bigger issue is that he could not maintain that level against Price.
That is probably what will bother Aspinall more than the potential punishment.
He had a genuine opportunity to reach the World Grand Prix final, especially after fighting back from 3-0 down. Instead, the match slipped away once Price regained control.
Price Now Has One More Job
While Aspinall deals with the fallout, Price has already moved on to the biggest match of the tournament.
He will face Luke Humphries in Sunday’s final after Humphries defeated James Wade 5-3 in the other semi-final. Price is chasing his second World Grand Prix title, having won the tournament in 2020, while Humphries is attempting to claim the trophy for a second time after his 2023 triumph.
For Aspinall, the night will probably be remembered with mixed emotions.
There was the brilliant quarter-final, the spirited comeback against Price and another deep run at a major tournament. But there was also the missed opportunity, the live-TV outburst and the possibility of a DRA fine.
That is the brutal nature of professional darts.
One night you can average 105 and look unstoppable. The next, frustration, missed doubles and a few seconds of emotion can become the story everyone is discussing.
Aspinall will have to accept the consequences if the DRA decides to punish him, but his response on the oche will ultimately matter far more.
And after seeing how close he came in Leicester, plenty of darts fans will be wondering whether this is simply another setback — or a sign that another major run could be coming very soon.