"I definitely have the ability to win this major tournament" - Martin Schindler believes in his chances at European Championship

When Martin Schindler meets Dirk van Duijvenbode at the European Darts Championship 2024 on Thursday evening, the 28-year-old will reap the rewards of an outstanding European Tour season.

Schindler is the first German in PDC history to start a Major tournament as the number one seed. In an exclusive interview with Sport.de. The Wall talks about his expectations for the Darts European Championship, his greatest strengths as a player and a possible step into the top 16 of the world rankings.

"The support for me in Dortmund will probably be really big. The atmosphere is really phenomenal," says Schindler at the start of the interview, expressing his anticipation for the European Championship. Schindler, who as number one on the European Tour Order of Merit starts the Major tournament as one of the favorites, is ambitious ahead of the European Darts Championship: "I think it would be a bit too low if I were to say now that I have no chance in Dortmund. I definitely have the playing ability to win this major tournament."

Nevertheless, the 28-year-old is aware that he has a long and rocky road ahead of him on the way to his first major title. "Nothing is given to you. The top 32 on the European Tour are really only the best of the best - similar to the World Grand Prix or World Matchplay," says Schindler. In addition to the usual suspects such as Luke Humphries, Luke Littler and Michael van Gerwen, The Wall also counts names like Ross Smith and Ryan Searle among the shortlist of favorites.

His own name also comes up in the list of possible European champions - will we perhaps see the first German Major winner this year? Schindler gives his fans hope: "I think it's realistic. On the one hand, it's the things you have to do yourself: A mixture of consistency, momentum and the will to win. But sometimes you also just need that little bit of luck on your side."

If he were to win the European Championship, Martin Schindler would most likely move into the top 10 of the world rankings. An appearance in the final would propel the German number one into the top 16 of the PDC Order of Merit. "I think the step into the top 16 can happen quickly on its own anyway if I just get good results in the majors. I know that I didn't have any deep runs in the majors two years ago. If I make a deep run at the World Championship, the Grand Slam of Darts or the European Darts Championship, then it could happen very quickly that I break into the top 16 or maybe even further into the top 10."

The top 16 in the world rankings, his first major title and two European Tour trophies in his trophy cabinet - these are all things that Schindler could only have dreamed about a few years ago. At the end of 2020, The Wall missed out on qualifying for the World Cup and lost his Tour Card. Less than four years later, the German is one of the hottest stocks in the PDC. "One of the things that has changed the most over time is my own mindset. I think one of the most decisive factors for this success is the emotional maturity that has come with it. I have become a father. I now have a completely different responsibility," says Schindler, who has been challenged in a different way since the birth of his child.

Since losing his Tour Card, Martin Schindler has worked his way to the top of the world of darts and has made remarkable progress in the process. But what characterizes Germany's best player? "I have some strengths, but also definitely some weaknesses. What I always manage to do consistently well is to play all the way through from start to finish without ever feeling like I'm losing concentration or focus along the way."

The 28-year-old wants to prove these strengths in the hot phase of the PDC season on the biggest stages in the darts world. In addition to the European Championship, Schindler is qualified for all outstanding PDC Majors - the Grand Slam of Darts, the Players Championship Finals and the World Darts Championship. The German's schedule is self-evident at this stage of the year: "The calendar is packed with tournaments from September onwards. It's not as if you only play the tournament on Saturday and Sunday, you have to travel to the venue on Friday and back again on Monday evening." Even Schindler's time on the practice board is limited: "The rest of the time is about maintaining motor skills. That's more or less the training, because you play so much anyway with all the tournaments."

Despite the packed tournament calendar, the European Darts Championship enjoys a special status as the only ranking major on German soil: "I'm most looking forward to the sea of people that can be seen from the stage. In my opinion, the Westfalenhalle is a very beautiful hall. Accordingly, I'm looking forward to a great atmosphere. I hope that I can do justice to the whole thing."