Jermaine Wattimena Stuns Nathan Aspinall to Capture Second Players Championship Title of the Season
Jermaine Wattimena Stuns Nathan Aspinall to Capture Second Players Championship Title of the Season
Jermaine Wattimena delivered a powerhouse performance to claim his second PDC ranking title of 2025, defeating a nine-dart-hitting Nathan Aspinall 8–2 in the final of Players Championship 31 in Wigan on Tuesday.
While Aspinall grabbed early headlines by firing in two perfect nine-dart finishes during a thrilling day of action, it was Wattimena who ultimately stole the spotlight — producing a ruthless display of scoring and finishing to clinch victory at the Robin Park Leisure Centre.
Dutch Destroyer Dominates After Shaky Start
The final began brightly for Aspinall, who punished early missed doubles from the Dutchman to move 2–0 ahead. However, Wattimena quickly regrouped, finding his rhythm to launch a devastating eight-leg surge that left the former World Matchplay champion reeling.
Wattimena’s onslaught featured a breathtaking stretch of legs in 13, 15, 13, 12, and 13 darts, showcasing his relentless consistency on both treble scoring and finishing. A clinical 116 checkout in the penultimate leg sealed the title, capping off a dominant comeback that underlined his growing confidence on the ProTour.
“I can’t describe how good this feels,” said a jubilant Wattimena after lifting the trophy. “I survived a lot of match darts in the first round, and after that I played amazing, so I’m really happy with this win.”
The victory comes just months after his first career ProTour title in July, marking a breakthrough year for the 37-year-old. “I remember Stephen Bunting told me after I lost to him in a final that once I win one, I’ll win more,” he added with a smile. “Now I’ve got two, and I believe there are more to come. I’ve beaten some great players today, and I really believe I can compete with anyone.”
A Day of Determination and Precision
Wattimena’s path to glory wasn’t without drama. He narrowly escaped in the opening round against fellow Dutchman Christian Kist, surviving six match darts before clawing back from 5–3 down to snatch victory. From that point on, he didn’t look back.
The European Championship runner-up hit top form across the following rounds, averaging over 100 in five of his next six matches. He powered past Latvia’s Madars Razma, dispatched Germany’s Niko Springer and Martin Schindler, and demolished Chris Landman 6–1 in the last 16.
A semi-final whitewash of compatriot Niels Zonneveld — sealed with a commanding 7–0 victory — demonstrated Wattimena’s confidence and composure under pressure. By the time he reached the final, he was in unstoppable form, outscoring and outfinishing a tired Aspinall to claim the title.
Aspinall’s Nine-Dart Drama Steals the Spotlight Early
Despite the defeat, Nathan Aspinall still produced one of the most memorable performances of the tournament, registering two perfect legs in the same day — a rare feat in PDC history.
The Stockport star began the afternoon outside the provisional qualification spots for the Players Championship Finals but fought back superbly to all but guarantee his place in next month’s Minehead event. After an opening win over France’s Thibault Tricole, Aspinall fired his first nine-darter of the day in his second-round clash with Steve Lennon, averaging 104 to complete a 6–4 victory.
He continued that form with wins over Ryan Joyce and Lukas Wenig, the latter seeing him produce another nine-darter while overturning a 4–2 deficit. From there, Aspinall edged James Wade in a tense quarter-final after surviving a match dart, before defeating top seed Stephen Bunting 7–3 in the semi-finals to book his place in the decider.
Bunting and Zonneveld Impress in Semi-Final Runs
Stephen Bunting’s strong run to the last four included victories over some of the sport’s biggest names, including Michael Smith, Dimitri Van den Bergh, and Wessel Nijman. The St Helens thrower continued his fine form from recent weeks, showing excellent scoring power throughout the event.
Meanwhile, Niels Zonneveld produced one of his best-ever floor campaigns, averaging 108 in his first-round demolition of Mickey Mansell before sweeping aside Wesley Plaisier and mounting a comeback win over Damon Heta to reach the semi-finals.
Elsewhere in Wigan
Elsewhere, newly crowned World Grand Prix champion Luke Littler suffered a surprise first-round exit despite averaging 106 in defeat to a red-hot Ritchie Edhouse. Dutch stars Michael van Gerwen and Gian van Veen also bowed out in the opening round, while world number one Luke Humphries was beaten in round two by Alexander Merkx.
The Players Championship season continues on Thursday with event 32 — the final instalment of this week’s double-header — as players continue their push to qualify for both the Players Championship Finals and the World Darts Championship later this year.
Jermaine Wattimena Stuns Nathan Aspinall to Capture Second Players Championship Title of the Season
2025 Players Championship 31
Robin Park Leisure Centre, Wigan
Tuesday October 14
Last 16
Stephen Bunting 6-2 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Wessel Nijman 6-2 Robert Grundy
Nathan Aspinall 6-5 Lukas Wenig
James Wade 6-4 Richard Veenstra
Joe Hunt 6-5 Andreas Harrysson
Niels Zonneveld 6-5 Damon Heta
Jermaine Wattimena 6-2 Martin Schindler
Chris Landman 6-4 Cam Crabtree
Quarter-Finals
Stephen Bunting 6-4 Wessel Nijman
Nathan Aspinall 6-5 James Wade
Niels Zonneveld 6-2 Joe Hunt
Jermaine Wattimena 6-1 Chris Landman
Semi-Finals
Nathan Aspinall 7-3 Stephen Bunting
Jermaine Wattimena 7-0 Niels Zonneveld
Final
Jermaine Wattimena 8-2 Nathan Aspinall
Nine-Darters!
Nathan Aspinall hit a nine-darter in his Round Two tie against Steve Lennon.
Nathan Aspinall hit a nine-darter in his Round Four tie against Lukas Wenig.
