"Unmotivated" Nathan Aspinall rediscovers love for darts with landmark German Darts Grand Prix success

Nathan Aspinall clinched his fourth European Tour title with an 8-5 victory over Danny Noppert in Monday's German Darts Grand Prix final, just days after revealing he was "falling out of love" with the sport and "unmotivated".

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 last night'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.

- Nathan Aspinall (PDC.tv)

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

The PDC ProTour season will resume with a Players Championship double-header in Wigan from April 13-14, before the 2026 Winamax European Tour continues with the European Darts Grand Prix in Sindelfingen from April 17-19.