Michael van Gerwen’s search for a first PDC ProTour win of the season continues after he was dumped out of the Players Championship 14 in Hildesheim in the third round.
The Dutch three-time world champion lost 6-4 to Austria’s Mensur Suljovic, who capitalised on taking a 4-1 lead to advance into the last 16 before losing to Tom Bissell in the quarter-finals.
Wessel Nijman became the first player since his compatriot Van Gerwen in 2016 to win five titles in a year after he crushed Max Hopp 8-1 in the final.
Nijman scooped the £15,000 top prize for a fifth time in just 12 appearances on the circuit.
The Dutchman punished Hopp busting 61 to lead 1-0, before taking an 88 checkout to double his advantage.
The 25-year-old then won another four legs straight to lead 6-0, including an 84 outshot on the bullseye and whopping 140 checkout in legs five and six respectively, averaging north of 110 two legs from victory.
Although Hopp broke in the seventh leg, it proved a mere consolation for the German, as Nijman broke back before sealing the title with a 15-dart hold.
“It’s always good to hold your best game for the final, professed Nijman, who produced his best performance of the day against Hopp with a 104.62 average.
“I’m just happy with the way I’m playing. I played well today, especially in the later stages of the tournament.
“I’m feeling pretty confident in these floor events, and I hope I can play like this on the floor for many more years.
“I don’t really care about records, I care more about the form that I’m playing right now. It’s always good to have those kinds of records in your bag, but it doesn’t give you much more than the form you’re in.
“I just want to be in the top 16 and make as many steps as close to number one as possible by the end of the year.”
Wessel Nijman continued his Players Championship superiority by claiming his fifth title of the year at Event 14 in Hildesheim
The Dutchman kicked off the event with comfortable wins over Daniel Klose and Jurjen van der Velde, followed by a 6-3 win over Niall Culleton to reach the last 16.
The 25-year-old faced his closest match of the day against Joe Cullen at this stage, triumphing 6-4 with a stellar 102 average – the first of four consecutive ton-plus averages before clinching the title.
Nijman then thumped Krzysztof Ratajski 6-1 with a 102.98 average, before breezing past Danny Noppert 7-2 to reach a remarkable sixth final on the floor this year in just 12 attempts.
Hopp, on the other hand, entered the top ten of the Players Championship rankings after making his first final since 2019.
Edgar hails talented Nijman
Speaking on the latest episode of the Love The Darts podcast, Matt Edgar, said: “We sat her in November looking ahead to the world championship and I said Nijman is about to make lifestyle changes and keep an eye on him.
“Those lifestyle changes have been made. He’s now committed to darts on full-time basis. He’s stepped away from the job and he’s in a very, very good position away from the oche and that’s 90 per cent of the battle.
“He’s got that absolutely nailed now. I thought he would step it up but I didn’t think he would step it up to the level he has now. I can’t see him doing anything but transferring it now to the main stages. He’s working very, very hard off the oche. He’s going to be a breakthrough talent.”
The 2026 PDC ProTour season continues next week with another Players Championship double-header, Events 15-16 will be played out in Leicester on May 11-12.
2026 Players Championship Fourteen
Tuesday May 5
Halle 39, Hildesheim
Last 16
Wessel Nijman 6-4 Joe Cullen
Krzysztof Ratajski 6-1 James Hurrell
Danny Noppert 6-2 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Richard Veenstra 6-1 Oliver Mitchell
Tom Bissell 6-1 Lukas Wenig
Mensur Suljovic 6-3 Maik Kuivenhoven
Joe Hunt 6-1 Keane Barry
Max Hopp 6-2 Rob Cross
Quarter-Finals
Wessel Nijman 6-1 Krzysztof Ratajski
Danny Noppert 6-2 Richard Veenstra
Tom Bissell 6-5 Mensur Suljovic
Max Hopp 6-3 Joe Hunt
Semi-Finals
Wessel Nijman 7-2 Danny Noppert
Max Hopp 7-3 Tom Bissell
Final
Wessel Nijman 8-1 Max Hopp
Nine-Darter!
Richard Veenstra hit a nine-darter in his round two tie against Leon Weber.
What’s happening on Premier League Night 14 in Leeds
The 2026 BetMGM Premier League season continues in Leeds, as Humphries targets a third consecutive triumph at the First Direct Arena.
The reigning champion takes on Josh Rock in his quarter-final tie, as league leader Luke Littler begins his latest nightly bid against Van Gerwen.
Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton go head-to-head in an all-Welsh affair in next week’s opener, while Gian van Veen and Stephen Bunting also do battle for a place in the semi-finals.
Ranking points are awarded per night – with five to the winner, three to the runner-up and two to the semi-finalists – to form the league table from which the top four players will progress to Finals Night at The O2 in London on Thursday May 28.
Who will win this year’s Premier League Darts? Luke Humphries will be defending his title and you can watch the action every single Thursday until May on Sky Sports. Stream darts and more top sport with NOW.
