"I cannot play another tournament right now because I’ve got a flight to catch!": Wessel Nijman jokes about being able to continue ProTour brilliance

Wessel Nijman continued his rapid rise on the PDC ProTour with a commanding 8–2 victory over former Grand Slam of Darts champion Scott Waites to secure the Players Championship 10 title, capping off what he described as his best-ever floor event.

The Dutchman, who has become an increasingly familiar presence in the latter stages of ProTour events, produced a composed and clinical display in the final, asserting control early and never allowing Waites a route back into the contest.

“Probably not after the first leg, but more after the second leg when I held my throw and it was 2–0,” Nijman said when reflecting on when he felt in control. “Then obviously when you break again, you’ve got a really great feeling going into the rest of the legs.

“That helped me in the final. It maybe wasn’t the final we were all hoping for, but yeah, I’m very happy with it.”

Despite facing an opponent making his first ProTour final appearance, Nijman insisted his mindset remained unchanged, although he acknowledged the danger that comes with a player having nothing to lose.

“No, not at all for me. But it can be for him, because he’s got nothing to lose, does he?” he explained. “When I got into my first ProTour final, I didn’t have anything to lose and I was a bit nervous back then.

“But I remember playing more freely because you’ve got nothing to lose. That could have helped him, and maybe he would have played a bit better than he did today. But as I said, I’m happy with the way I played in the final and the way I played all day.”

Nijman’s performance across the entire day was particularly impressive, maintaining a high standard throughout multiple matches—a challenge that often proves difficult on the ProTour circuit.

“Well, I’ll tell you—I cannot play another tournament right now because I’ve got a flight to catch!” he joked. “No, I don’t know… maybe these kinds of events suit me.

“Yesterday wasn’t maybe the best day—I lost early—but when I’m in that zone and playing well, I know I can play like that all day long. That’s probably what happened today.”

The victory also has significant implications for the Players Championship Order of Merit. With Chris Dobey having moved to world number one on the list following his win the previous day, Nijman’s triumph sees him respond immediately, overtaking Dobey and closing in on a place inside the top 16.

“Yeah, that was the goal for this whole year,” Nijman said. “The earlier I get that, the better it is.”

With just £3,000 separating him from the top 16, the 24-year-old could achieve that milestone as early as the upcoming Euro Tour event in Sindelfingen—though recent results on that stage have left him wanting more.

“I was confident in the last few Euro Tour events, but I lost in Munich and I lost in Wieze—both first rounds—so that was a bit disappointing,” he admitted. “But I hope I do a lot better in Sindelfingen this weekend.”

For now, however, Nijman can reflect on a dominant display in Players Championship 10—one that not only delivered silverware but further underlined his growing status as one of the form players on the ProTour.