Glory in the second Players Championship of the season was claimed by Dutch young gun Wessel Nijman, who overcame Gerwyn Price in a pulsating, nerve-shredding last-leg decider to secure the fourth Pro Tour title of his still-burgeoning career.
For Nijman, though, this triumph felt more like a continuation. He has begun the new campaign precisely as he concluded the last, having also bagged the final event in Wigan in the 2025 curtain closer.
The 25-year-old’s early progress was measured rather than spectacular, easing past Viktor Tingstrom and newcomer Samuel Price without ever needing to fully uncork his arsenal. The gears shifted against Cor Dekker, where Nijman produced his first ton-plus average of the day, before methodically booking his quarter-final berth with victory over Tommy Morris.
His most incandescent display came against another fresh face, Carl Sneyd, where Nijman registered an average nudging beyond the 106 mark to dismantle the Oldham thrower. Momentum firmly established, he then stormed into the final with a commanding 7–2 demolition of recent World Championship semi-finalist Ryan Searle.
In the opposite half of the draw, Price was operating in full incineration mode. The Welshman opened proceedings by whitewashing Kim Huybrechts, immediately underlining his intent, before brushing aside Stephen Burton and returning Spaniard Cristo Reyes, both by identical 6–2 scorelines.
Then came the turbocharged carnage. A ferocious 111-plus average ended Luke Woodhouse’s fine run, before an extraordinary 117.12 saw Price inflict a whitewash on Michael van Gerwen – a performance that bordered on the surreal and included legs dismantled in fifteen darts or fewer. After another authoritative win over the ever-dangerous Krzysztof Ratajski, it appeared inevitable that Players Championship title number twenty-two was beckoning.
Nijman, however, refused to subscribe to that narrative. The final developed into a high-wire duel of nerve and precision, with the Uitgeest native consistently edging ahead only for Price to claw his way back. Eventually, everything hinged on a deciding leg, Nijman holding throw. When the moment arrived, the youngster did not blink, dispatching the leg in a clinical twelve darts to seal a victory of genuine substance.
Special mention must go to Tommy Morris, who staged a remarkable recovery from 5–1 down to defeat his idol Gary Anderson, engraving a memorable milestone into his career. There was also welcome respite for Dave Chisnall, who after a bruising 2025 reached the quarter-finals before his progress was halted by Searle.
In a field brimming with quality, Nijman emerged as the figure of composure, conviction, and clinical execution – another victory in the ever-impressive career of someone who will undoubtably be adding many more titles to his growing resume.
PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP 2 – Hildesheim, Germany
Tuesday 10th February 2026
Quarter-Finals
Gerwyn Price 6-0 Michael van Gerwen
Krzysztof Ratajski 6-2 Danny Noppert
Ryan Searle 6-1 Dave Chisnall
Wessel Nijman 6-2 Carl Sneyd
Semi-Finals
Gerwyn Price 7-4 Krzysztof Ratajski
Wessel Nijman 7-2 Ryan Searle
Final
Wessel Nijman 8-7 Gerwyn Price
—–ENDS—–
Images: PDC
