SPRINGER STRUGGLING WITH FAVOURITE STATUS
06/04/2026 By Aaron Nijjar
NIKO SPRINGER admitted he is still adjusting to life as a frontrunner on the oche.
‘Meenzer Bub’ blew away Michael van Gerwen 6-1 with a 98.34 average to storm into the third round of the German Darts Grand Prix.
The 25-year-old edged past fellow compatriot Jan Schmidt 6-5 in a tense opening match in Munich on Friday night.
World No.50 Springer won his maiden European Tour title last season at the Dutch Darts Championship but has failed to kick on the big stage since.
Springer confessed he is still getting to grips with the pressure that comes with expectation.
He said: “I wouldn’t really call it dominance. If he hits his doubles, it’s a completely different game.
“The chances I got weren’t many, but I took them. You can’t compare yesterday’s game with today at all.
“Yesterday I had to fight for every dart. Today I had that lightness again.
“I’m having a bit of trouble with the favourite’s role at the moment.
“Today I knew I had absolutely nothing to lose. I could only win. And luckily I managed to win the match today.”
The lanky German will face Michael Smith on Sunday afternoon for a place in the quarter-final at the Kulturhalle Zenith.
He added: “Michael Smith is a really tough opponent. He’s achieved a lot, he’s a world champion.
“I have to play the same level, maybe even a bit more.”
Springer has made a solid start to the year, reaching the quarter-finals of the European Darts Trophy and the last 16 in two Players Championship events.
Image by Taylor Lanning.
