Nijman Claims Fourth Ranking Title of 2026 with Dominant Display

Wessel Nijman has continued his impressive start to 2026, securing his fourth ranking title of the year at the Players Championship 10 in Wigan. Nijman defeated former Grand Slam of Darts champion Scott Waites 8-2 in the final, reclaiming the top spot in the Players Championship rankings. This victory comes after Chris Dobey briefly overtook Nijman following his win at Players Championship Nine, but Nijman responded with a strong performance at the Robin Park Tennis Centre. Following a tough win against Martin Lukeman, Nijman went on to defeat Justin Hood, prompting a remarkable run to the title. He then averaged nearly 110 in a six-leg demolition of Adam Gawlas and followed up with victories over Niels Zonneveld and Beau Greaves. Nijman's semi-final performance against Luke Woodhouse saw him average 108.46, and he maintained this form in the final, capitalizing on Waites' slow start to establish an early lead. Despite Waites reducing the deficit, Nijman regained control and powered into a 7-1 advantage. Waites managed to double his score, but Nijman responded with a 15-dart hold to win with a 101.34 average. Nijman reflected on his performance, stating, "Today was probably the best floor event I've played all year. I hit many averages above 105, and it was a really good day." He also expressed his happiness with his overall performance and is targeting more success in the upcoming European Darts Grand Prix. Nijman has broken new ground with his first big-stage win at the European Darts Trophy and is aiming to build on this momentum. Elsewhere, Beau Greaves made it back-to-back quarter-finals with an impressive showing, featuring wins over Martin Schindler and Cameron Menzies.