Nijman Claims Fourth Ranking Title of 2026

Wessel Nijman continued his remarkable run in 2026, securing his fourth ranking title of the year with a dominant victory at the Players Championship 10 in Wigan. Nijman defeated former Grand Slam of Darts champion Scott Waites 8-2 to reclaim the top spot in the Players Championship rankings. This win comes after Chris Dobey briefly overtook Nijman following his victory at Players Championship Nine, but Nijman responded with an emphatic performance at the Robin Park Tennis Centre. Following a challenging win against Martin Lukeman, Nijman went on to defeat Justin Hood, prompting a strong march towards the title. He showcased impressive form, averaging nearly 110 in a six-leg demolition of Adam Gawlas, and continued this momentum with victories over Niels Zonneveld and Beau Greaves. Nijman's semi-final performance against Luke Woodhouse was equally impressive, averaging 108.46. In the final, Nijman capitalized on Waites' slow start, establishing an early lead and maintaining a dominant display throughout. Despite Waites narrowing the gap in leg three, Nijman regained control and ultimately triumphed with a 101.34 average. "Today was probably the best floor event I've played all year," Nijman admitted. "I hit many averages above 105, and 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." Nijman expressed satisfaction with his performance in the final and throughout the day, suggesting that these types of events may suit him. With a maiden big-stage success at the European Darts Trophy last month, Nijman is now targeting more silverware at the European Darts Grand Prix. "When I'm in that zone and playing well, I could play all day like that," he said. "The top 16 was the goal for the year, and the earlier I achieve that, the better it is. I lost in Munich and Wieze in the first round, but I hope to do a lot better in Sindelfingen this weekend." Elsewhere, Beau Greaves made it back-to-back quarter-finals with an impressive showing, featuring wins over Martin Schindler and Cameron Menzies. The tournament saw notable performances from various players, with the final results being: Last 16 - Wessel Nijman 6-3 Niels Zonneveld, Beau Greaves 6-4 Cameron Menzies, Luke Woodhouse 6-4 Scott Williams, Joe Hunt 6-5 Josh Rock, Chris Dobey 6-4 Daniel Klose, Karel Sedlacek 6-4 James Hurrell, Scott Waites 6-4 Brendan Dolan, Kevin Doets 6-0 Gabriel Clemens. Quarter-Finals - Wessel Nijman 6-2 Beau Greaves, Luke Woodhouse 6-4 Joe Hunt, Karel Sedlacek 6-5 Chris Dobey, Scott Waites 6-4 Kevin Doets. Semi-Finals - Wessel Nijman 7-4 Luke Woodhouse, Scott Waites 7-5 Karel Sedlacek. Final - Wessel Nijman 8-2 Scott Waites. The Premier League Darts is set to continue, with Luke Humphries defending his title, and the action can be watched every Thursday until May on Sky Sports.