Anderson ends three year wait for PDC title

Gary Anderson won the Players Championship 8 final in Hildesheim on Monday, ending a three-year wait for a PDC ranking title.

Anderson averaged four tonnes or more en route to winning the £12,000 top prize in Germany, capping off the fourth ProTour double-header of 2023.

The Scot, who finished second to Ross Smith at the Players Championship 5 last week, has had a stunning comeback in recent weeks, also confirming his return to the European Tour after a seven-year absence.

Anderson continued his comeback to win the final at Halle 39, crashing in six 180s and converting a stunning 170 checkout to defeat Ratajski.

The first four legs of the final were shared by the pair, but Anderson took control with a run of three straight legs, including the spectacular maximum finish in leg seven.

Ratajski responded to cut the deficit to 4-5, but Anderson maintained his cool, producing back-to-back 180s before pinning double five to win his first PDC title since February 2020.

“I’m back playing darts and I’m enjoying it again,” admitted the two-time World Champion, who moves into the provisional qualification places for July’s Betfred World Matchplay.

“It has been hard. Over the last three years, I’ve not wanted to come and play darts, but I’m enjoying it again and I’ve really enjoyed this weekend.

“I’m practising with Ryan [Searle] and it’s going well. People wrote me off, and I’m just here to give you all headaches!”

 

Anderson had a tournament average of 100 across seven matches, beginning his campaign with hard-fought victories over Jamie Hughes and Jelle Klaasen.

He then advanced to the last 16 with a 6-4 victory over top seed Luke Humphries, before averaging 110.5 to defeat Premier League star Dimitri Van den Bergh.

The 52-year-old kept his momentum going with a convincing quarter-final win over Dutch prospect Gian van Veen, which he followed with an emphatic 7-3 victory over Gerwyn Price in the final four.

Meanwhile, Ratajski capped off a fantastic weekend by reaching his first ProTour final since last August, after reaching the semi-finals on Sunday.

Poland’s number one breezed through to the last 16 with victories over Richie Burnett, Ryan Meikle, and Boris Krcmar, before averaging over 107 to defeat Dave Chisnall in the final leg.

Ratajski dispatched Brendan Dolan in the quarter-finals with consecutive ton-plus finishes, and a stunning 109 average saw him dispatch Ricardo Pietreczko in the final.

Pietreczko, Germany’s rising star, dominated Keegan Brown and dumped out Jonny Clayton and European Champion Ross Smith on home soil to reach his second ProTour semi-final.

Price defeated Premier League rival Michael van Gerwen on his way to the semi-finals, denying the Dutchman a second Players Championship title in a row.

In wins over Ricky Evans and Scott Williams, the Welshman averaged 105, before claiming a deciding-leg victory over Luke Woodhouse in the last eight.

Woodhouse was in his first ranking quarter-final of 2023 when he was eliminated, along with Players Championship Five winner Smith, rising Dutchman Van Veen, and Sunday’s nine-dart star Dolan.

Monday’s action also included a nine-darter from William O’Connor, who annihilated Jimmy Hendriks in the first round.

Chisnall had the best performance of the day in Germany, averaging 117.4 in his first-round win over Kevin Burness before falling to Ratajski in a dramatic last-eight match.

Sunday’s runner-up, Josh Rock, was knocked out in round one by Van Veen, who also knocked out Chris Dobey, Danny Noppert, and Joe Cullen.

2023 Players Championship 8

Monday March 20

Halle 39, Hildesheim

Last 16

Gary Anderson 6-3 Dimitri Van den Bergh

Gian van Veen 6-4 Mike De Decker

Gerwyn Price 6-3 Michael van Gerwen

Luke Woodhouse 6-3 James Wade

Krzysztof Ratajski 6-5 Dave Chisnall

Brendan Dolan 6-5 Andy Boulton

Ross Smith 6-1 Krzysztof Kciuk

Ricardo Pietreczko 6-0 Keegan Brown

 

Quarter-Finals

Gary Anderson 6-2 Gian van Veen

Gerwyn Price 6-5 Luke Woodhouse

Krzysztof Ratajski 6-5 Brendan Dolan

Ricardo Pietreczko 6-3 Ross Smith

 

Semi-Finals

Gary Anderson 7-3 Gerwyn Price

Krzysztof Ratajski 7-2 Ricardo Pietreczko

 

Final

Gary Anderson 8-5 Krzysztof Ratajski