'Ginja Ninja' sees red! Matt Campbell risks DRA wrath after middle finger outburst

A remarkable incident took centre stage at yesterday’s fifteenth Players Championship event of the year, held in Hildesheim, Germany. The moment came following a fiery first-round clash between Matt Campbell and Scott Williams.

After suffering a 6-3 defeat, Campbell reacted in frustration by raising his middle finger — an act caught on camera and already doing the rounds on social media. Given the Professional Darts Corporation’s strict stance on player conduct, it’s likely that disciplinary action will follow, with a fine in the coming weeks appearing a real possibility, becoming the latest in a series of fines picked up by the DRA.

For Williams, the win marked the start of an impressive run. The Englishman, who reached the semi-finals of the 2024 World Darts Championship earlier this year, carried his momentum through the rounds and advanced all the way to the semi-finals once again. There, his campaign was halted by Krzysztof Ratajski, who edged him out 7-4 in a competitive encounter.

It was Ratajski who would go on to lift the title, producing a strong performance in the final to defeat Dave Chisnall 8-4. The win handed the Polish star his first PDC ranking title since 2023, marking a return to form on the ProTour stage.

The Players Championship action continues today with the sixteenth tournament of the season.