In a thrilling encounter at the Poland Darts Open, Dutch sensation Gian van Veen pulled off a remarkable comeback to defeat Nathan Aspinall and secure his spot in the quarter-finals. Despite falling 4-2 behind early in the match, Van Veen showcased incredible resilience, highlighted by a pivotal 122 checkout and a strong performance in the decisive final leg. He ultimately triumphed 6-5, demonstrating his growing prowess on the big stage against a top-tier opponent.
A Challenging Road to the Last 16
Before facing Nathan Aspinall, Gian van Veen had a nail-biting encounter with Andrew Gilding, winning 6-5 despite a mere 24% double percentage. This highlighted an area for improvement crucial for his clash against ‘The Asp’. Aspinall, on the other hand, entered the match in formidable form, having dispatched Darryl Pilgrim 6-3 with a superb performance, even against an opponent averaging over 100.
Aspinall’s Blistering Start
The match began with fireworks. Although Van Veen opened with a maximum 180, it was Nathan Aspinall who immediately seized control, breaking Van Veen’s throw in the very first leg with a spectacular 127 checkout in just 12 darts. He then consolidated this break, despite six missed doubles, by finally hitting double eight to take a 2-0 lead.
The Turning Point: Van Veen’s Resurgence
For the next five legs, both players held their throws, including an impressive 11-darter from Aspinall. This left Aspinall leading 4-3 and on the brink of victory. The turning point arrived when Aspinall missed the bullseye for an 86 finish that would have put him on match point. Seizing this crucial opportunity, Van Veen unleashed a stunning 122 checkout – a “bull-bull-double 16” combination – to break back and level the scores at 4-4.
The Decisive Battle
With momentum now on his side, Van Veen took the lead for the first time by holding his throw with a 70 finish, making it 5-4. However, the drama wasn’t over. Van Veen missed a chance to close out the match from a 65 finish, allowing Aspinall to hit double 16 and force a deciding eleventh leg.
Starting the final leg, ‘The Giant’ showed immense composure. He threw a vital 180 to gain the initiative and ultimately sealed a hard-fought 6-5 victory with a 17-dart leg, completing a remarkable comeback from 4-2 down.
Match Statistics
Here’s a closer look at the key statistics from this thrilling contest:
- Gian van Veen: Average 95.9, Double Percentage 40%
- Nathan Aspinall: Average 100.05, Double Percentage 33.3%
Despite Aspinall’s higher average, Van Veen’s clutch finishing and improved double percentage in critical moments proved to be the difference-maker, securing his place in the quarter-finals.
Source: Based on an article from Darts Actueel.
