Nathan Aspinall and Danny Noppert (Picture: PDC)

Darts results: Nathan Aspinall overcomes Danny Noppert to win the German Darts Grand Prix

By Sporting Life

Darts

Wed April 08, 2026 · 1h ago

Nathan Aspinall clinched his fourth European Tour title with an 8-5 victory over Danny Noppert in Monday's Elten Safety Shoes German Darts Grand Prix final.

Aspinall - a winner of three European Tour titles in 2025 - returned to winning ways in Munich, defying a spirited fightback from Noppert to claim the £35,000 top prize.

The Stockport star rattled off four consecutive legs from 5-4 adrift to triumph at the Zenith, averaging 100.35 and posting seven 180s to curtail the Dutchman’s bid for a maiden European Tour crown.

Having survived a match dart in his opening round tie against Ricardo Pietreczko on Sunday, Aspinall kicked off Finals Day by accounting for Pietreczko’s World Cup partner Martin Schindler.

The former World Matchplay champion won six straight legs from 2-0 down to dispatch the German number one, which he backed up with an attritional 6-4 win against Andrew Gilding in the last eight.

Aspinall then produced his performance of the weekend in the semi-finals, averaging 106.40 to demolish Kevin Doets 7-2, ending a sequence of six successive defeats against the Dutchman.

This set up a blockbuster showdown against Noppert in Monday's showpiece, and Aspinall appeared poised to cruise to victory after following up an 11-darter with a 108 combination to lead 4-1.

However, Noppert capitalised on his opponent’s brief doubling woes to force an unlikely turnaround, winning four straight legs of his own to seize the initiative at 5-4.

Nevertheless, Noppert’s revival was short-lived, as Aspinall responded with legs of 13, 12 and 15 darts to lead 7-5, before converting a clinical 128 checkout to cap off a brilliant display.

“I am absolutely buzzing,” admitted Aspinall, who equals Phil Taylor’s haul of four European Tour titles.

“I’ve had a lot of knockbacks this year. I’ve been trying to keep myself motivated and sometimes it’s hard, but nights like tonight are why we play this game.

“I’ve not got the best of records against Kevin and Danny of late, certainly Kevin.

“To get one over Kevin was great, but playing Danny in the final - he is so good!

“He’s such a fantastic dart player. Obviously I was 4-1 up, then he battled back and went 5-4 up, but I found that fighting spirit this weekend.

“I did an interview on Saturday saying I was trying to find that love for the game again, but Munich gave me the love for darts again.”

Noppert – featuring in his fourth European Tour final – reaffirmed his credentials on an action-packed Easter weekend, which began with a deciding-leg win over Ritchie Edhouse on Sunday afternoon.

The 2022 UK Open champion then conceded just five legs in a hat-trick of victories on Finals Day, dumping out Karel Sedlacek, Jonny Clayton and Krzysztof Ratajski in the process.

“I’m really happy to be in the final again,” insisted Noppert, who is closing in on a return to the world’s top ten.

“I didn’t show up in the final and Nathan was the deserved winner.

“I always believe in [winning] a title. I don’t know when, but I’m proud to reach the final.

“Of course I wanted to lift the title. There is another level I can go to, and I am pushing myself hard every time.”

Ratajski averaged almost 99 in accounting for Ryan Searle and Ross Smith in his run to the semi-finals, while he also ran out a convincing 6-2 winner against 2023 champion Michael Smith in the quarter-finals.

Poland’s premier player was joined in the final four by Dutch star Doets, who produced a host of magical moments in advancing to his maiden European Tour semi-final.

Having landed 170 checkouts in wins over Anton Ostlund and James Wade, Doets averaged 107.7 and fired in an astonishing ten 180s to edge past Dirk van Duijvenbode in an epic round three contest.

Doets then emerged victorious in another deciding-leg affair against fellow countryman Niels Zonneveld, surviving three match darts in a dramatic conclusion to proceedings.

Zonneveld was featuring in his third consecutive European Tour quarter-final, having averaged north of 103 in dumping out Premier League star Josh Rock earlier in the day.

The left-hander was joined in the last eight by Gilding, Smith and Welsh number one Clayton, who averaged 104.78 in defeating a resurgent Kim Huybrechts in one of the games of the weekend in Munich.