Players Championship 30 Round-Up | Karel Sedlacek makes history as first Czech PDC ranking title winner

PDC
Wednesday, 23 September 2026 at 18:53
Karel Sedlacek (2)
Karel Sedlacek has made history as the first-ever PDC title winner from the Czech Republic, defeating Scott Williams 8-7 in the final of Players Championship 30 on Wednesday afternoon.
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Sedlacek has long been knocking on the door of sealing major honours for the first time and nearly qualified for the World Matchplay earlier in the year; such has been his excellence. But now he exudes his run as perhaps the best player without a title on the tour.
Williams looked crestfallen afterwards, a day that saw him back in contention with his Tour Card, Ally Pally and Minehead hopes before today up in smoke. He looked back to his old self, so no doubt he will be gutted and lose after his travails with his throw.
Williams, in his run to the final, saw off Jermaine Wattimena in the semi-final in a 7-4 win after defeating Michael van Gerwen in the round before 6-2 with a 94 average. His best displays, though, of the round came in the matches before, though, as Williams saw off Tommy Lishman 6-3 and Richard Veenstra with an 110 average 6-1.
Mensur Suljovic and Danny Noppert were early victims to start the day. So for Van Gerwen, while it wasn't an early loss despite him struggling again vs. Benjamin Pratnemer, it perhaps wasn't what he wanted given that he was the outstanding player in the field.
Michael van Gerwen looks on with anguish.
Van Gerwen lost late on.
Double eight for Sedlacek to lead 1-0. Williams missed double 18 for 1-1, but with Sedlacek way back, Williams hit double eight for 1-1. An 118 on double 19 for Sedlacek meant it was 2-1 to Evil Charlie.
A 52 checkout from Williams saw him make it 2-2. Williams missed 120, but he returned for double 10 for 3-2. An 80 checkout from Williams to make it 4-2. Sedlacek, with an excellent 80 checkout, changed the game. He used double 20 and double 10 to make it 4-4.
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Williams missed 86 for 5-4 on the bull. Sedlacek returned and hit the first two treble 19's and then hit the bull for a showstopper 164. Sedlacek made it 6-5 on double 10 eventually after Williams missed 98. He missed 72 for 7-5, but Williams couldn't hit 148, and so Sedlacek returned for double eight.
Match darts came and went for Sedlacek as he sat 7-6 up. But Williams hit double 16 to send it all the way. 140 from Sedlacek, and he left 104. He missed it but set it up, and Sedlacek hit double eight to claim it.

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Gian van Veen withdrew at the start of the day, which left Van Gerwen as the best. Sedlacek, on the other hand, saw off Niels Zonneveld 7-2, Chris Dobey 6-5, and Nathan Aspinall 6-3, as well as Damon Heta 6-1, Daniel Klose 6-0, and Tavis Dudeney 6-1.
His best display was like Williams in the early rounds, as Heta was defeated with a near 106 average. It was also a good day for Raymond van Barneveld, who reached the quarter-finals for the first time in a long while. Chris Dobey was top seed to reach the latter stages as he reached the quarter-finals.
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While Nathan Aspinall lost in the Last 16 to Karel Sedlacek, it did help in his Minehead hunt. But he is still not there with the Czech ace paying heed to his run. This means Aspinall sits just outside the top 70.
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