Nathan Aspinall has given a revealing account of the PDC’s historic debut in Saudi Arabia, reflecting on the challenges and unique moments from the first night of competition in Riyadh. Aspinall, alongside stars like Luke Littler and Michael van Gerwen, is competing at the second World Series event, marking darts’ entry into the Kingdom for the first time.
The 34-year-old Stockport native triumphed in his opening match against Lourence Ilagan, securing a solid win as the sport makes its debut in the Middle East. However, Aspinall shared that the atmosphere was markedly different from traditional darts events, highlighting the newness of the setting and some cultural adjustments.
Unusual Crowd Reactions
Reflecting on the crowd’s reaction, Aspinall was candid about the differences he encountered. “It was definitely a different experience. I’m not naive,” he said. “Not everyone in the crowd was there completely of their own accord, and the venue was relatively small. But it’s the start of something, and I think we can build on this.”
As the event unfolds, Aspinall noted that the enthusiasm from the Saudi Arabian audience was genuine, despite occasional awkwardness in their reactions. “You’d hit a treble 20, and they’d clap before you had thrown your next two darts, or they’d applaud a miss. It made me laugh throughout the game, but overall, it was much better than I expected,” Aspinall added. He noted there were more people than he had anticipated, suggesting that the sport has potential to grow in the region.
The star dart player, who has enjoyed his time in the country so far, expressed hope that the PDC could return in future events. “There are worse places to be than here. I could be stuck in the snow,” Aspinall joked. As long as the coverage is positive and the Saudi press reports favorably on darts, Aspinall sees no reason why the sport’s presence in Saudi Arabia couldn’t continue to expand.
Looking ahead, Aspinall is set to face Man Lok Leung in the next round, with a semi-final spot on the line at this World Series event. Leung, the Hong Kong sensation, made headlines after beating Danny Noppert, becoming the first player to secure a victory at the event in Saudi Arabia.
While Noppert was the only major PDC star to fall on the opening night, other top players like Littler, van Gerwen, Luke Humphries, and Gerwyn Price all advanced, setting up a promising continuation of the tournament in the coming days.
