Michael Smith among 6 players to win their board for first time in 2025 during recent Players Championship block

This week, the Mattioli Arena in Leicester hosted Players Championships 9 and 10, with Gerwyn Price and Josh Rock claiming the titles.

Leicester also saw several first-time milestones. Six players managed to win their board final for the first time this year, meaning they won at least three matches to reach the last 16 of a Players Championship event. Among them was a particularly notable name: former world champion Michael Smith. After a difficult start to the year, Smith made it to the semi-finals of Players Championship 10, where he fell 7-5 to Scotland’s Cameron Menzies.

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Other players reaching at least the quarter-finals of a Players Championship event for the first time this year included Haupai Puha, Brendan Dolan, Connor Scutt, Kevin Burness, and Matthew Dennant.

Gian van Veen won a Players Championship earlier this year

Looking at the most consistent performers in this year’s Players Championship events, five players have reached the last 16 in at least five of the ten tournaments. Among them are three Dutch players: Wessel Nijman, Kevin Doets, and Gian van Veen. Van Veen also claimed victory at Players Championship 6, defeating Luke Humphries 8-3 in the final. Alongside the Dutch trio, Damon Heta and James Wade also feature in this select group.

Following closely behind are eight players who have reached the last 16 in four of the ten tournaments: Nick Kenny, Ryan Searle, Ross Smith, Gerwyn Price, Sebastian Bialecki, Stephen Bunting, Mike De Decker, and Gary Anderson.

The Players Championship action continues next week in Leicester, with tournaments 11 and 12 set to take place at the Mattioli Arena. As the season progresses, the race for consistency and ranking points intensifies, with players looking to secure qualification for the Players Championship Finals later this year. With several top names finding their form and emerging talents making their mark, the upcoming events promise plenty of excitement and unpredictability. Fans can expect more high-quality matchups, surprise results, and perhaps even a first-time winner as the tour rolls on.

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