Gerwyn Price etched his name in darts history by becoming only the second player ever to amass double‑digit European titles, clinching his tenth European Darts Grand Prix crown with an 8‑6 win over Ross Smith in Sindelfingen, Germany. This triumph places him alongside Michael van Gerwen as the only competitors to have reached the ten‑title milestone on the European Tour, underscoring Price’s consistency and elite status in the sport. The final was a tightly contested affair, with both men exchanging breaks of throw and refusing to give the other any comfortable breathing room.
Price surged ahead early, racing to a 3‑0 lead thanks to a double break that put the Welshman in a commanding position. Smith, however, responded with two successive breaks of his own, leveling the score at 3‑3 and demonstrating the resilience that has carried him to his fourth Euro Tour final. The pivotal moment arrived in the 11th leg.
Price seized a crucial break when Smith faltered on his doubles, nudging the score to 6‑5 in Price’s favour. From there, the Welshman held his own throw with composure, eventually sealing the match on the decisive double twelve. The victory not only added another trophy to Price’s cabinet but also provided a much‑needed confidence boost ahead of his upcoming Premier League clash with Gian van Veen in Liverpool. "I think Ross and I probably tried a bit too hard in that game," Price reflected after the match.
"We’ve both had great tournaments, but I was struggling to get over the winning line. Thankfully I won this one and it will give me a bit of confidence going forward. I’ve been on the PDC circuit for about 12 years, so averaging a title a year isn’t terrible, but I need to keep pushing. I have a tough game against Gian van Veen up next in Liverpool, but now I can go there full of confidence and build on this." Price’s path to the final was marked by a convincing 7‑4 semi‑final win over Dutch up‑and‑comer Wessel Nijman.
Both players displayed high‑quality darts, trading big scores and precise doubles. The decisive break came in the eighth leg when Price secured the only break of the encounter, establishing a two‑leg cushion that Nijman could not overcome.
Earlier in the tournament, Price also survived a nerve‑wracking 6‑5 last‑leg thriller against German favorite Martin Schindler. The partisan crowd in Sindelfingen rallied behind their home hero, but Price’s steady finishing on double five ultimately proved too much for Schindler, who had fought back to force a deciding leg. On the other side of the draw, Ross Smith earned his place in the final with a hard‑fought 7‑5 victory over Poland’s Krzysztof Ratajski. Ratajski, known as the "Polish Eagle," had been scoring well but struggled dramatically on his doubles, missing 15 of 20 attempts at the outer ring.
This allowed Smith to seize an early lead and maintain a slight edge until the finish. Smith’s quarter‑final win over Nathan Aspinall was a 6‑4 affair that highlighted his own finishing prowess. While Aspinall never found his rhythm, Smith’s timely breaks and steady checkouts on double two propelled him into the semi‑finals.
Meanwhile, Ratajski edged past Danny Noppert 6‑5 in a tense leg‑decider, despite Noppert’s post‑match complaint that Ratajski had been adjusting his flights while waiting to throw. Ratajski dismissed the accusation, noting that he was surprised by the allegation and that it had no impact on his performance. In another notable upset, Wessel Nijman recorded his first ever victory over Michael van Gerwen, the "Green Machine," whose performance was uncharacteristically erratic.
Nijman’s three breaks of throw across eight legs, combined with an impressive 83 average, were enough to topple the Dutch legend. The tournament schedule featured a packed slate of matches across two days, with both afternoon and evening sessions showcasing a mix of established stars and rising talents.
Highlights included Jermaine Wattimena’s 6‑3 win over Kevin Doets, Gary Anderson’s 6‑3 triumph over Stephen Bunting, and a dominant 6‑1 victory for Jonny Clayton over Damon Heta. The evening session saw Ross Smith dispatch Cameron Menzies 6‑3, while Gerwyn Price edged Dave Chisnall 6‑4.
Looking ahead, the darts community now turns its attention to the Premier League Darts, where Luke Humphries will defend his title. Fans can follow the action every Thursday until May on Sky Sports, with live streaming available via NOW. The Premier League promises further drama, as players like Price, van Veen, and others vie for supremacy in what is widely regarded as the sport’s most prestigious weekly competition. In summary, Gerwyn Price’s tenth European title not only cements his place among the elite of the European Tour but also serves as a springboard for the upcoming Premier League fixtures.
His composure under pressure, ability to capitalize on crucial breaks, and unwavering confidence suggest that he will remain a formidable contender in the weeks to come. Meanwhile, Ross Smith’s continued presence in finals underscores his growing stature, even as he grapples with the heartbreak of another runner‑up finish. Both players have demonstrated the high level of skill and mental fortitude required to succeed on the darts circuit, promising more exciting encounters for fans worldwide.