Motomu Sakai takes home second title in 2026 as Ally Pally return boosted following Asian Tour 17 triumph
PDCSaturday, 11 July 2026 at 14:19
It was a successful outing for Motomu Sakai as he stormed to glory in Asian Tour 17, confirming his second triumph of the year while boosting his chances of making a return to the PDC World Darts Championships later in the year.
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The Japanese darter's antics on stage caught the eye of many in Alyl Pally last year, making him a firm fan favourite. He was also an important part of the Japanese World Cup of Darts team, just missing out on qualififcation to the knockout rounds.
'The Creature' has soon found his feet once more, finding more triumph on the Asian Tour following his latest title charge with some eye-catching results and averages along with it.
He began proceedings with a comfortable 4-1 win over Jizhou Li before averaging a commendable 102.51 average in another 4-1 victory, this time against Qinqyu Zhan. Darting icon Paul Lim was swiftly disposed of 4-2 in the last 16 as Sakai closed in on glory.
He averaged 98.27 to dispose of fellow countryman Ryusei Azemoto 4-2 ahead of a 5-3 triumph versus Rolly Gabiana. It would be a tricky test in the final against Lok Yin Lee, but Sakai had the tools needed to keep his opponent at arm's length, prevailing 5-2 to seal another title.
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Motomu Sakai results Asian Tour 17
Quarter-final
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| Motomu Sakai | 4-2 | Ryusei Azemoto |
| Rolly Gabiana | 4-3 | Lourence Ilagan |
| Lok Yin Lee | 4-3 | Yuya Fukuchi |
| Man Lok Leung | 4-2 | Alexis Toylo |
| Motomu Sakai | 5-3 | Rolly Gabiana |
| Lok Yin Lee | 5-2 | Man Lok Leung |
| Motomu Sakai | 5-2 | Lok Yin Lee |
Semi-final
| Motomu Sakai | 5-3 | Rolly Gabiana |
| Lok Yin Lee | 5-2 | Man Lok Leung |
Final
| Motomu Sakai | 5-2 | Lok Yin Lee |
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Sakai boosts Ally Pally return
That was the 17th of 28 Asian Tour events in 2026. The top five at the end of the year will qualify for the PDC World Darts Championship, a tantalising prospect as they look to showcase their skills in front of the best players in the world.
Following two titles and another two finals, Sakai sits top of the Asian Tour World Championship Race as he eyes up a return to North London. Haruki Muramatsu, Man Lok Leung, Paolo Nebrida and Yin Lee sit behind him.
Lucas MichaelDarts Journalist
Lucas Michael is a darts journalist and reporter based in Cambridge, UK, and has been part of the DartsNews team since 2025. He covers professional darts through reports, analysis, round-ups, and live coverage, with a focus on clear context and accurate reporting across the PDC calendar.
A key part of his work is liveblogging major tournaments throughout the year, providing real-time updates, match coverage, and contextual reporting across the professional circuit. He also reports regularly from events on site and has covered the PDC World Darts Championship from the venue, delivering first-hand insight throughout the tournament.
Within the newsroom, Lucas works closely with the editorial team and supports coverage alongside Chief Content Officer Samuel Gill and reporter Kieran Wood.
Lucas holds a BA (Hons) in Sports Journalism. In his work, he places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating content promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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