PDC World Darts Championship 2025 results: Ryan Searle out after thriller but Nathan Aspinall advances
Twenty-seeded Ryan Sale has withdrawn from the PDC World Darts Championship after a thrilling third-round loss to Ryan Joyce at Alexandra Palace.
Sale fought back from two sets down to finish with an average of 100.97, but 2019 quarterfinalist Joyce defeated him 4-3 in the deciding set.
With the seventh set tied at 2-2, Joyce fired a brilliant 113 to take the lead and won the next leg against the Darts to seal the victory.
He will now face the winner of Saturday night’s game between teenagers and fourth-seeded Luke Littler and Ian White in the fourth round.
Meanwhile, 12th seed Nathan Aspinall defeated 21st seed Andrew Gilding 4-0 to advance to the last 16 for the first time in five years.
Aspinall’s victory was built on his ruthlessness in the doubles, with the 33-year-old from Stockport hitting six of his seven darts from outside in the first two sets.
Gilding missed two darts in the second game but ‘The Asp’ was broken for 101 in the decisive period of the third game, his only over 100 in the match out.
An average of 92.17 was well below Aspinall’s expectations, but his six 180s came at crucial moments and he backed up the result with a 60% checkout rate.
Ricardo Pietreczko awaits Aspinall in the next round, beating last year’s semi-finalist Scott Williams 4-1 Scott Williams).
The German responded brilliantly to Williams’ comeback as he won two sets, averaging 118.66 in the fourth before sealing victory with a stylish 121 checkout.
