Anderson opens his 2024 title account with an inspired day at Players Championship 2
Gary Anderson was in excellent form as he won his first PDC championship of the year at Players Championship 2 in Wigan on Tuesday, defeating Ryan Searle 8-5 in the final.
Anderson had four ton-plus averages throughout the day and missed double 12 for a nine-darter three times, the last of which occurred in the final leg of the final.
The Scot had already missed a perfect dart earlier in the match, as well as one in his semi-final victory over Peter Wright.
Anderson’s 117.12 average in a 6-0 victory over Andy Baetens in the fourth round is the highest he has ever registered, having previously defeated Raymond van Barneveld in the quarter-finals.
Anderson, who began the day with victories against Daniel Klose, Adam Gawlas, and Daryl Gurney, wins the £15,000 top prize, moving him up two places to 25th on the PDC Order of Merit.
“It’s always nice to win these events, especially the way I played today,” said Anderson, who won three Players Championship titles in 2023.
“Yesterday I felt like a kid at a new school, I was nervous but today I felt more settled and it showed in my performances.
“It’s been a long day and I’m happy to come out on top against a great player in Ryan.
“We’ve practiced together a couple of times since the World Championship, we spur each other on.
“He’s a great guy, he just gets on with it and plays darts, he puts the effort in so it’s nice to see him do well.
“I’ll just carry on doing what I do, I’m in a good place in my life and I’m enjoy playing darts.
“I’m looking forward to playing the European Tour events as well this year and I want to keep my form going.”
Searle had another excellent day, finishing runner-up for the second day in a row, having lost to Luke Littler in the Players Championship 1 Final.
Littler’s first defeat on the ProTour occurred in the second round, when he lost 6-5 to Radek Szaganski.
Wright’s improved performance propelled him to his first ranking semi-final since October, while World Champion Luke Humphries lost 6-5 to Jurjen van der Velde in the first round.
2024 Players Championship 2
Robin Park Tennis Centre, Wigan
Tuesday February 13
Last 16
Peter Wright 6-2 Cameron Menzies
Robert Owen 6-4 Ryan Joyce
Raymond van Barneveld 6-4 Gian van Veen
Gary Anderson 6-0 Andy Baetens
Martin Lukeman 6-3 Chris Dobey
Callan Rydz 6-4 Jose De Sousa
Ryan Searle 6-1 Arron Monk
Niels Zonneveld 6-4 Paul Krohne
Quarter-Finals
Peter Wright 6-2 Robert Owen
Gary Anderson 6-3 Raymond van Barneveld
Martin Lukeman 6-2 Callan Rydz
Ryan Searle 6-4 Niels Zonneveld
Semi-Finals
Gary Anderson 7-5 Peter Wright
Ryan Searle 7-6 Martin Lukeman
Final
Gary Anderson 8-5 Ryan Searle
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