Wessel Nijman Equals Michael Van Gerwen’s Feat With Sixth Players Championship Title Of The Year “It’s never getting boring, I’ll tell you that”
Wessel Nijman Equals Michael Van Gerwen’s Feat With Sixth Players Championship Title Of The Year “It’s never getting boring, I’ll tell you that”
Wessel Nijman continued his extraordinary 2026 campaign on Tuesday, defeating Ryan Searle to secure Players Championship 21 in Wigan and claim his sixth Players Championship title of the season.
The Dutch star maintained his perfect record against Searle, extending his winning streak against the Somerset thrower to eight consecutive matches as he collected the tenth ranking title of his career.
Already enjoying a breakthrough year on the PDC circuit, Nijman produced another impressive display at the Robin Park Leisure Centre, reeling off seven successive victories to strengthen his position at the top of the Players Championship Order of Merit.
His latest triumph also sees him join some elite company in the history books. Nijman becomes the first player in 14 years to win six Players Championship titles in a single calendar year, matching a feat last achieved by fellow Dutchman Michael van Gerwen.
The 25-year-old has now also claimed seven ProTour titles in 2026, becoming only the sixth player to achieve that milestone in a single season. Phil Taylor, Raymond van Barneveld, Gary Anderson, Michael van Gerwen and Peter Wright are the only other players to have managed the feat.
Nijman’s route to the title was far from straightforward, but he looked composed throughout the day as he continued the remarkable consistency that has made him one of the standout performers on the ProTour this year.
His campaign began with victories over Stephen Burton and Darryl Pilgrim before further successes against Adam Gawlas and Kai Gotthardt booked his place in the latter stages.
A dominant quarter-final display followed, as Nijman averaged over a ton to defeat compatriot Kevin Doets in an all-Dutch contest.
That victory set up a semi-final showdown against Beau Greaves, who had once again impressed against a host of established PDC stars.
Greaves threatened to halt Nijman’s charge, but the Dutchman delivered some of his best darts of the day at the crucial moments. Checkouts of 127 and 101 were followed by superb legs of 11 and 15 darts as he completed a 7-4 victory to reach yet another Players Championship final.
Awaiting him was a familiar opponent in Ryan Searle.
The final proved to be one of the most competitive matches of the tournament, with neither player able to establish control in the early stages. Six of the opening eight legs went against the throw as both men traded heavy scoring and clinical finishing.
With the match finely balanced at 6-6, a pivotal moment arrived in the penultimate leg.
Searle squandered three darts at double that would have moved him within one leg of the title, and Nijman capitalised ruthlessly to edge ahead for the first time in the closing stages.
The Dutchman then completed the job in style.
After Searle narrowly missed the bullseye for a spectacular 161 checkout that would have forced a deciding leg, Nijman punished the error with a clinical 14-darter to secure an 8-6 victory and another Players Championship crown.
Speaking after collecting yet another title, Nijman admitted that lifting trophies is a feeling he is still enjoying despite his incredible success this season.
“It’s never getting boring, I’ll tell you that,” reflected Nijman, who leapfrogs Nathan Aspinall on the PDC Werner Rankings Ladder.
“I was in this tournament without any expectations to be honest because I haven’t thrown a single dart in ten days.
“I went on holiday with my girlfriend in Greece… I think I might need to go to Greece more often now!
“I’m very pleased with the way I’m playing right now and the titles I’ve won. I think it’s probably not normal the amount of titles I’ve won this year.
“I’m looking ahead to all of the next tournaments. I’m going into these TV events differently to last time. I’m getting more experience and that can make a difference.”
The victory further underlines Nijman’s growing confidence heading into the sport’s major televised events, with the Dutchman continuing to establish himself as one of the leading players on the circuit.
While Searle ultimately fell short in the final, the former World Championship semi-finalist enjoyed another productive day in Wigan and continued his strong run of form.
His campaign opened with a whitewash victory over Derek Coulson before he dispatched Irish pair Niall Culleton and Keane Barry to reach the last 16.
Searle then produced a high-quality performance to edge past Sweden’s number one Jeffrey de Graaf in a deciding-leg thriller, averaging over 101 in the process.
The 38-year-old maintained his momentum by defeating two Premier League stars on his route to the final, overcoming Stephen Bunting and Jonny Clayton to secure a runner-up finish and £10,000 in prize money.
Clayton’s run to the semi-finals included three successive ton-plus averages and further evidence of the form that has kept him among the world’s elite performers.
Joining the Welshman in the last four was Beau Greaves, who once again demonstrated her ability to compete with the very best on the ProTour stage.
The two-time Women’s World Matchplay champion enjoyed an outstanding run through the field, defeating four established PDC title winners.
Greaves accounted for Ryan Joyce, Ian White, Luke Woodhouse and Chris Dobey to reach the semi-finals, producing some exceptional darts along the way.
Her quarter-final clash with Dobey was one of the standout matches of the day, with Greaves averaging almost 106 to secure victory and continue her impressive progress.
Elsewhere, Dobey completed the quarter-final line-up alongside Bunting, Doets and Dirk van Duijvenbode as another high-quality Players Championship event produced plenty of drama and outstanding performances.
Following Tuesday’s action, attention now turns to Players Championship 22 on Wednesday, which concludes the latest ProTour double-header in Wigan.
With six Players Championship titles already to his name in 2026 and records continuing to tumble, Nijman will once again be the player everyone is looking to stop.
Wessel Nijman Equals Michael Van Gerwen’s Feat With Sixth Players Championship Title Of The Year
2026 Players Championship 21
Tuesday June 16
Robin Park Leisure Centre, Wigan
Last 16
Wessel Nijman 6-3 Kai Gotthardt
Kevin Doets 6-1 Tommy Lishman
Chris Dobey 6-5 Niels Zonneveld
Beau Greaves 6-3 Luke Woodhouse
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-4 Ross Smith
Jonny Clayton 6-5 Karel Sedlacek
Ryan Searle 6-5 Jeffrey de Graaf
Stephen Bunting 6-4 Callan Rydz
Quarter-Finals
Wessel Nijman 6-1 Kevin Doets
Beau Greaves 6-4 Chris Dobey
Jonny Clayton 6-4 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Ryan Searle 6-3 Stephen Bunting
Semi-Finals
Wessel Nijman 7-4 Beau Greaves
Ryan Searle 7-5 Jonny Clayton
Final
Wessel Nijman 8-6 Ryan Searle
