NIJMAN WINS SIXTH PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE OF 2026

WESSEL NIJMAN admits he may need more holidays after returning from a 10-day break to win Players Championship 21 in Wigan.

The Dutch ace landed a SIXTH Players Championship title of the year and pocketed the £15,000 top prize after seeing off Ryan Searle 8-6 in the final.

Nijman fired in a brilliant 100.63 average to sweep aside compatriot Kevin Doets 6-1 in the last eight before overcoming Beau Greaves 7-4 in the semi-final.

The victory lifts the 25-year-old above Nathan Aspinall in the Order of Merit and up to a career-best world No. 15.

Nijman revealed he arrived at the event with little expectation, having spent the previous 10 days on holiday in Greece with his girlfriend.

He said: “I was in this tournament without any expectations, to be honest, because I hadn’t thrown a single dart in 10 days.

“I went on holiday with my girlfriend in Greece. I didn’t touch one dart and I thought to myself: no expectations.

“I need to go to Greece more often now!

“I am very pleased with the way I am playing right now and the titles I have won. I think it is not normal, the amount of titles I have won this year.

“I am looking ahead to all of these tournaments. I am going into these TV events differently than I did last time.

“Last year was obviously my debut year in some of them, and now I am getting more experience.

“I think that might make a difference.”

Elsewhere, Gerwyn Price squandered five match darts as he suffered a shock 6-5 first-round defeat to Cristo Reyes.

Two-time world champion Peter Wright and Gian van Veen exited in the second round, losing to Shane McGuirk and Adam Leek respectively.

Image by Taylor Lanning.