Van Duijvenbode closing in on the top ten after winning Players Championship 10

Dirk van Duijvenbode won the Players Championship Ten in Wigan on Sunday, his third PDC ProTour title of 2023.

The Dutchman has already won two Players Championships this year, and he added a further £12,000 to his ranking by defeating Jose de Sousa in the final on Sunday.

Van Duijvenbode’s high-quality day of darts also saw him defeat UK Open champion Andrew Gilding and Premier League star Dimitri Van den Bergh on his way to the title.

“I wanted three [titles] and I have three,” said Van Duijvenbode, who was also a runner-up on the European Tour in the European Darts Open last month.

 “I think I was a bit lucky today. I shouldn’t have been lucky but against Matt Campbell I should have won 6-3 or 6-2, and I didn’t finish it off and at the end he was better.

 “I was lucky that I won it at the end and now I won the tournament. In the final, I was so happy with the 156. Jose was about to come back.

 “Sometimes I think that knowing what you’re capable of, knowing you can hit two 180s in a row, you always feel confident. Sometimes you’re lucky, sometimes you’re not.”

“Two years ago when I made the top 32, I wanted to maintain the top 32 position because I didn’t think I was good enough to make the top 16 on a regular basis,” added the world number 11.

 “Now the top ten is my goal for this year. The gap was very big between me and the top ten, I’m closing it but you won’t get it easily because they’re all good.

 “I’m trying my best, trying to keep improving and not be satisfied. I need to be eager to keep on winning and keep on improving. I need to work on my confidence and my game is getting better every week.”

 

 Nine-Darters!

Martin Schindler achieved a nine-dart finish in leg six of his last 32 tie with Boris Krcmar, before winning 6-5.

Josh Rock also enjoyed a perfect leg in the fourth leg of his 6-4 last 16 win over Jonny Clayton.

2023 Players Championship Ten

Sunday April 16, Robin Park Tennis Centre, Wigan

Last 16

Jose de Sousa 6-5 Luke Humphries

Martin Schindler 6-2 Christian Kist

Damon Heta 6-1 Lee Evans

Ian White 6-5 Luke Woodhouse

Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-5 Jermaine Wattimena

Josh Rock 6-4 Jonny Clayton

Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-2 Andrew Gilding

Martijn Kleermaker 6-3 Jeffrey Sparidaans

 

Quarter-Finals

Jose de Sousa 6-5 Martin Schindler

Ian White 6-4 Damon Heta

Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-4 Josh Rock

Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-2 Martijn Kleermaker

 

Semi-Finals

Jose de Sousa 7-2 Ian White

Dirk van Duijvenbode 7-6 Dimitri Van den Bergh

 

Final

Dirk van Duijvenbode 8-3 Jose de Sousa