DISCUSSION | European Darts Grand Prix - Can champion Gerwyn Price finally banish major demons after 10th European Tour title success?

Gerwyn Price achieved history this past Sunday becoming the second player ever behind Michael van Gerwen to reach double digits for trophies won on the European Tour winning the European Darts Grand Prix at the Glaspalast in Sindelfingen.

The former World Champion saw off Dave Chisnall 6-4 to start off before cruising past Chris Dobey with a fantastic 105.96 average. He survived his scare though that most often do as he nearly lost to Martin Schindler who missed a match dart in a last leg shootout but this proved to be the main and only scare as he enacted revenge on Wessel Nijman.

He then defeated Ross Smith who snatched the lead after going 3-0 down early but Smith started to miss doubles and Price went up 6-5 breaking throw and regaining the lead. Price saw Smith cut the gap to 7-6 but in the end, he managed to edge through to seal the title.

Smith's maiden European Tour title continues to elude him as he reached the final at the Glaspalast two years ago but he can take some real solace from a great weekend. Krzysztof Ratajski also reached back-to-back European Tour semi-finals for the first time in his career continuing his great form.

Same can be said for Wessel Nijman who reached his sixth ProTour semi-final in just 13 appearances. While it was a Dutch weekend with Danny Noppert reaching a third consecutive European Tour semi-final too. Let's discuss it all!

Discussion of course has to centre around a certain Gerwyn Price this weekend who added a 10th European Tour title and you have to feel like it's one been coming and two that a major title could be in the offing if he plays his cards right.

Albeit we have said this a lot before about Price as he has often been in the reckoning for major titles and never got over the line or ran into Luke Littler so perhaps a European Tour without him there is both a good and a bad thing as often it is The Nuke that he runs into.

Also great signs for Ross Smith who continues to be eluded his European Tour crown but for a player so talented, it is just good to see him in contention with his scary scoring power. Speaking of scary, Wessel Nijman also continues to prove himself as one of the best operators in darts with another fantastic run this weekend. Another player to watch in the major conversation.

Another European Tour event comes and goes in 2026 with many more storylines being written. Most notably by Gerwyn Price who got over the line for a 10th title. He was supreme all through the weekend while not even playing his best darts. No matter what the scoring power is, if the Welshman finds his range on tops, then the best players in the world will have a headache playing against him.

For me, Price’s next step is to win either a major or Euro Tour title while banishing the demon that is Luke Littler if he is going to return to that scintillating level which saw him become world number one and world champion. He has been brilliant this year and the second half of last year, but countless painful defeats against ‘The Nuke’ leave a sour taste in his mouth. He is currently one of the most inform players in the world, with this recent title proving so, but there are still levels he can reach.

On another positive note, despite the final defeat, Ross Smith once again showed his class. One of the best players to have not triumphed, he did brilliantly to get back into that final before one leg undid all the hard work previously completed. Missed doubles against the best players in the world is a recipe for disaster, and against someone like Price in a leg where he was on top and had the chance to go within two of the title is unforgivable at this level. Ruthless as it sounds, if Smith is going to buckle this trend, he needs to be finishing these. Aside from that, a really strong showing that he can take a lot of positives from.

Again on the Euro Tour, it is not as simple as the big names going through to the latter stages. For example, in the last-16 alone you had James Wade, Josh Rock, Stephen Bunting and Jonny Clayton all depart the competition within hours of each other. Michael van Gerwen escaped defeat by the skin of his teeth but would lose in the quarterfinals with an abject display. The day before, the likes of Gian van Veen and Gary Anderson were not immune to a second round exit. Another example on how open darts currently is.

Inevitably though, Wessel Nijman would be in the latter stages challenging for the title. Since winning the European Darts Trophy, his success has been barred to only on the floor, experiencing a brace of first round exits. He was back with a bang in Sindelfingen, making it to the semi-finals. On the Sunday, he was not at his best but still managed to find a way to win, a hugely positive sign from a player with so much talent ready to be unleashed.

Gerwyn Price has already claimed two Premier League nightly titles and a Players Championship crown this year, and given the form he has shown in 2026, it felt only a matter of time before he added a European Tour title to his collection. This weekend, Gerwyn Price finally delivered in Sindelfingen. Remarkably, aside from his clash with Chris Dobey, Price did not even need to produce his very best darts. It will be a major confidence boost for The Iceman to know he can still lift trophies without his A-game. The next challenge for the Welshman is ending his long wait for another televised ranking major title, something he has not achieved in almost five years.

Wessel Nijman once again underlined that he is currently the most consistent Dutch player on tour. He reached the final session of a European Tour event for the third time this season, eventually falling in the semi-finals to Price. It was still a landmark result, as Nijman has broken into the world’s top 16 for the first time in his career.

For Gian van Veen, it was a disappointing weekend. The man from Poederoijen lost his opening match to Joe Cullen, and afterwards even Cullen himself suggested Van Veen looked drained. Could it be the price of an intense Premier League Darts campaign? Van Veen still has several months to rediscover his top form, with the next major ranking event not arriving until the summer.

The same can largely be said for Michael van Gerwen. Despite reaching the quarter-finals, he failed to make a strong impression. Across three matches, Van Gerwen did not average higher than 91.37. For Mighty Mike, there is clearly work to be done if he wants to peak again for the sport’s biggest occasions.

The fifth European Tour event has concluded, and for the fifth time this year we have a different winner. The victory of Gerwyn Price came as no surprise, however. “The Iceman” had already claimed a Players Championship title earlier this year and has also been performing solidly in the Premier League Darts. Moreover, he has been posting high averages for months, so another European Tour title felt like only a matter of time. With his tenth European Tour title, he once again proves how comfortable he is on this circuit.

Ross Smith also impressed once again. For the third consecutive year, he reached a European Tour final, although he is still waiting for his first title. Nevertheless, “Smudger” can look back on a strong weekend. If he can maintain this level of form, a major title in the coming months certainly seems within reach.

From a Dutch perspective, Wessel Nijman confirmed the promise he has shown throughout the year. Although he missed out on the title, another semi-final appearance represents an excellent performance. The same cannot be said of Michael van Gerwen. “Mighty Mike” reached the quarter-finals but failed to impress. With averages barely exceeding 90, he remained well below his usual standard. The question is whether — and when — he will rediscover his top form this year.

The conclusion of the weekend: a solid but largely unremarkable tournament, without any real standout performances.

The European Darts Grand Prix 2026 is now behind us, and I would like to say right from the outset: Sindelfingen is definitely worth the trip. The atmosphere, the positivity of the people, and the overall experience fully live up to the reputation of one of the most iconic venues on the European Tour.

After having taken a somewhat critical view of my fellow countrymen from a sporting perspective in recent weeks, it is fair to say that this weekend felt like something of a breakthrough. Martin Schindler reached a European Tour quarter-final for the first time this year. And even though “The Wall” did not only impress with his level of play, but — as he himself confirmed in an interview — also secured a victory against Damon Heta through sheer determination and fighting spirit, there were phases in which we saw exactly the Schindler who claimed his first European Tour title almost exactly two years ago. Even if, as he himself suggested, he is still some distance away from that level at the moment, performances like the one against Jonny Clayton offer real encouragement that “The Wall” could soon be a major factor again.

I would also like to highlight one of the most remarkable stories of the weekend, which almost went unnoticed: Robin Masino, who lost to Niko Springer in the opening round as a Host Nation Qualifier, not only made his European Tour debut in Sindelfingen — the qualifying tournament itself marked his very first appearance in a PDC event. Not a bad statistic at all.

Another player who impressed me this weekend was Michael van Gerwen. Not necessarily because he produced magic at the oche, but rather because of what happened away from it. His sharp comments towards Michael Unterbuchner have been heavily criticised in some quarters, and I understand why — but I also have to say: this is exactly the Michael van Gerwen I want to see. That presence, that edge, that intensity — I believe they are good for his game.