Nathan Aspinall’s World Grand Prix campaign ended in frustration on Saturday night, but it was not just his 5-2 defeat to Gerwyn Price that caught everyone’s attention.
The Englishman was caught swearing during the semi-final at Leicester’s Mattioli Arena, forcing Sky Sports commentators to apologise to viewers after his outburst was picked up on the live broadcast. Then, after the match, Price added another layer to the drama by publicly criticising his friend’s behaviour on stage.
For Aspinall, it was a painful way to end what had been an impressive run. For Price, meanwhile, the victory put him into another major final — but his comments afterwards showed just how tense the contest had become.
Aspinall’s Frustration Boils Over
Aspinall entered the semi-final in excellent form.
The 35-year-old had produced one of the standout performances of the tournament in his quarter-final victory over Ryan Joyce, averaging 105.15 in a 3-0 win. That was the fourth-highest match average ever recorded at the World Grand Prix, so there was genuine optimism that he could push Price all the way.
Instead, things quickly became difficult.
Price stormed into a 3-0 lead while Aspinall struggled to reproduce the level he had shown against Joyce. The Stockport player did fight back, winning two of the next three sets and reducing the deficit to 3-2, but Price eventually regained control and closed out a 5-2 victory.
The frustration was obvious as the match went on.
In the final set, Aspinall missed the treble 19 and reacted angrily, with his expletive clearly audible on the broadcast. Sky Sports subsequently apologised for the language, while reports indicate that Aspinall could face disciplinary action from the Darts Regulation Authority.
Under Rule 3.14 of the DRA rulebook, players are prohibited from using or mouthing offensive language during match play. There is no automatic fixed fine, with any sanction determined according to the circumstances.
It was certainly not the ending Aspinall wanted.
Price Wasn’t Happy Either
The bigger talking point, however, came after the match.
Price was asked about Aspinall’s reaction to the crowd and revealed that the pair had exchanged words during the match. The Welshman clearly felt Aspinall was allowing the atmosphere to distract him rather than concentrating on his darts.
“Nathan was complaining about the crowd, but they were on his side,” Price told Sky Sports.
That was only the beginning.
Price explained that when he was leading 3-0, he spoke directly to Aspinall about his reaction to the crowd.
“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’.”
Those are pretty strong words between two players who are known to be friends.
Price wasn’t suggesting there was a serious personal feud, though. Instead, his comments appeared to come from frustration during a high-pressure match where both players were trying to reach one of the biggest finals of the year.
“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 and I told him I wasn’t happy.”
Price then made it clear that their friendship remained intact.
“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 is probably the most interesting part of the whole episode.
Price wasn’t simply attacking Aspinall after beating him. He was essentially telling his friend to block out everything happening around him and concentrate on the one thing he could control: throwing good darts.
The Pressure Got to Price Too
Interestingly, Price admitted that the situation affected him as well.
It would be easy to assume that the Welshman was completely comfortable after moving 3-0 ahead, but his own assessment of the match was far less convincing.
“I was frustrated 90 per cent of that game, and it’s not good.”
Price also described the match as inconsistent and admitted that he still needed to improve.
That honesty is worth noting.
He had just won 5-2 and secured another major final, yet Price was hardly celebrating a perfect performance. His average was just below 90 and he hit six 180s, but he knew he would have to raise his level if he wanted to win the tournament.
And that could be crucial.
Price has now reached his third consecutive major final after also finishing runner-up at the World Matchplay and World Series Finals earlier this year. He has repeatedly put himself in position to win major silverware, but now needs to convert another opportunity into a trophy.
Aspinall’s Tournament Shouldn’t Be Forgotten
For all the controversy, it would be harsh to let the incident completely overshadow what Aspinall achieved in Leicester.
His 105.15 average against Joyce was exceptional, and reaching the semi-final demonstrated that he remains capable of competing deep into major tournaments.
The problem was that Price produced the more composed performance when it mattered.
Aspinall managed to recover from 3-0 down and briefly made the match interesting, but Price held his nerve when the contest reached its decisive stages.
That is the difference between a good run and a championship-winning run.
Price Now Has Another Chance
Price’s reward is a place in Sunday’s World Grand Prix final, where he will face Luke Humphries after the Englishman defeated James Wade 5-3 in the other semi-final.
It is also a repeat of the 2023 World Grand Prix final, when Humphries defeated Price 5-2 to claim his first major title. Price now has the opportunity to rewrite that result and win the tournament for a second time.
The Welshman is also chasing his first major title since 2022, making Sunday’s final enormous for him.
And perhaps that is why the Aspinall incident matters more than just a moment of bad language.
Price is operating under serious pressure himself. He knows another final has arrived, another trophy is within reach and another chance to end his major-title drought is waiting.
Final Thoughts
Aspinall’s F-bomb will probably dominate the headlines for a while, especially after Sky Sports were forced to apologise on air.
But the more revealing story may be what happened between Aspinall and Price during the match.
Price clearly believed his friend was allowing frustration and the crowd to get into his head. Aspinall, meanwhile, will be left wondering what might have happened if he had started the match with the same level of confidence he showed against Joyce.
There is no doubt Aspinall’s emotions got the better of him at times, but that is also part of what makes darts so compelling. These players are competing under enormous pressure, with a major final and a huge prize at stake.
Price survived the drama, kept his composure when it mattered and is now one win away from another major trophy.
The question is whether he can turn this opportunity into silverware — and whether Aspinall’s frustrating night will ultimately be remembered as a setback or another step in his return to the very top.