"I didn’t want anything to do with darts for a bit": Niko Springer describes darting slump after crashing out of PDC World Darts Championship

Niko Springer enjoyed a debut year on the PDC Tour in 2025 that very few players experience. The 25-year-old from Mainz stunned by winning a European Tour title and also qualified directly for major TV events such as the World Grand Prix, the Grand Slam of Darts, and the World Darts Championship. Expectations for Alexandra Palace were therefore high. But the World Championship took a completely unexpected and painful turn for Springer.

In the first round of the 2026 World Darts Championship, Springer suffered a major upset, losing 1-3 to Australian qualifier Joe Comito. For the world number 54, it was an early exit that left deep marks, both sporting and mental. In a candid interview with the Wiesbadener Kurier, Springer reflected at length on the period after his disappointing Worlds exit.

“The start of the new year was indeed a bit sluggish,” Springer admitted. “After the Worlds I was in a small slump.” To switch off, he decided to go to France with his girlfriend for a few days shortly after the tournament. That trip didn’t go as planned. “I fell ill there, but I’m fit again now and mainly looking ahead to 2026.”

Although the disappointment was huge, Springer has since found a place for the Worlds defeat. “Of course it was a shock. The preparation for the Worlds was actually quite okay,” said the German. Yet he felt before his first match that not everything was right. “My goal was clear: survive the first round. That didn’t happen.”

After the loss, Springer deliberately stepped away from the darts scene. “I didn’t want anything to do with darts for a bit and didn’t touch the darts for seven, eight days.” Even a practice session with his brother Felix, who also qualified for a European Tour event in 2025, was cut short. Only after that did he fully switch off by taking a time-out in France.

According to Springer, the carefree feeling he had during his Worlds debut a year earlier was missing this time. “But the truth is that my head also wasn’t one hundred percent in it.” An emotionally charged conversation shortly before the match played a part. “An hour before the game I spoke with my manager Michael Gschwindt about my deceased dog. That hit me more than I thought. Not consciously, but subconsciously it definitely played a role. That’s no excuse, though.”

The enormous weight of expectation also pressed heavily on the young German’s shoulders. “It already wasn’t going well in the practice room. And on top of that, everyone assumed I would win.” A TV interview before the match only made it worse. “They basically said I’d only lose if I didn’t show up. That piled on a lot of extra pressure.”

Once on stage, things unraveled mentally. “I was completely overwhelmed. I didn’t recognize that in myself and I hope never to experience it again,” said Springer. Although his throw didn’t completely collapse technically, he lost his grip. “I tried a lot, but the whole time I felt: this isn’t happening today.”

Still, Springer doesn’t automatically call this the most painful defeat of his career. That dubious honor, he says, still belongs to the 2022 Super League final, where he lost 8-10 to Florian Hempel and missed the 2023 World Darts Championship. “But when you get a favorable draw at the biggest tournament and go out like that, it really hurts a lot.”

His focus is now fully on the future. “I’m training hard again with my brother Felix and have analyzed a lot of details,” Springer said. His goal is clear: get back to the level of early 2025. “My scoring was better then. Right now I’m happy with where I am.” A small moment in practice gave added confidence. “My manager walked in and said, ‘Niko, you’re smiling again.’ That gives me courage.”

There are big opportunities again in 2026. Springer is seeded for the European Tour and is also inside the qualifying spots for the World Matchplay. He will, however, make conscious choices. “I’m skipping a Pro Tour block in the summer,” he revealed. He wants to spend that time with his family and girlfriend. High on his wish list are the World Matchplay and discovering new countries via the European Tour. “But the main thing will be stability, especially on the floor.”