Nijman Secures Fourth Ranking Title of 2026 with Dominant Display

Wessel Nijman continued his impressive start to 2026 by claiming his fourth ranking title of the year at the Players Championship 10 in Wigan. Nijman overwhelmed former Grand Slam of Darts champion Scott Waites 8-2 in the final to reclaim the top spot in the Players Championship rankings. This victory came after Chris Dobey briefly surpassed Nijman following his win at Players Championship Nine, but the Dutchman responded with a resounding performance at the Robin Park Tennis Centre. Following a tough win against Martin Lukeman in the opener, Nijman eliminated Monday's runner-up Justin Hood to secure his place in round three, marking the beginning of a remarkable march to victory. With an average of nearly 110 in a six-leg demolition of Adam Gawlas, Nijman then defeated his compatriot Niels Zonneveld and followed up with another merciless performance against Beau Greaves. The 25-year-old averaged 109.71 to sweep aside Greaves in the quarterfinals and then averaged 108.46 in his semifinal showdown against Luke Woodhouse. Nijman was equally impressive in the final, taking advantage of a slow start from Waites to establish an early lead, setting the tone for another dominant display. Despite Waites narrowing the gap in leg three, Nijman regained control with a 12-darter to lead 3-1, sparking a five-leg sequence that saw him power into a 7-1 advantage. Waites managed to double his score with a comfortable hold of throw in leg nine, but this was merely a consolation as Nijman responded with a 15-dart hold to triumph with a 101.34 average. "Today was probably the best floor event I've played all year," Nijman admitted, also referencing his wins at Players Championships Two and Eight. "I hit many averages above 105; it was a really good day. When I broke again to make it 4-1, it was a really good feeling for the rest of the match, and it helped me in the final. I'm happy with the way I played in the final and throughout the day. Maybe these kinds of events suit me." Nijman also made history with his first big-stage success at last month's European Darts Trophy and is looking to claim more silverware in the upcoming European Darts Grand Prix. "When I'm in that zone and playing well, I could play all day like that," the Dutchman continued, climbing to 18th on the PDC Werner Rankings Ladder. "The top 16 was the goal for the year; the earlier I achieve that, the better. I lost in Munich and Wieze in the first round, but I hope to do a lot better in Sindelfingen this weekend." Elsewhere, Greaves reached back-to-back quarterfinals with another impressive performance, featuring wins over German No. 1 Martin Schindler and Scottish star Cameron Menzies. The last 16 saw Wessel Nijman defeat Niels Zonneveld 6-3, while Beau Greaves overcame Cameron Menzies 6-4. In the quarterfinals, Nijman defeated Greaves 6-2, and in the semifinals, he beat Luke Woodhouse 7-4. The final match saw Nijman claim the title with an 8-2 win over Scott Waites. Who will win this year's Premier League Darts? Luke Humphries will be defending his title, and the action can be watched every Thursday until May on Sky Sports. Stream darts and more top sports with NOW.