Ricardo Pietreczko withdraws mid match at Players Championship 14 averaging below 60 after two legs as Christian Kist also out in walk-over

At today’s Players Championship event number 14, there were immediately two pieces of bad news. Ricardo Pietreczko had to retire from his first-round match against Jeffrey de Zwaan after just two legs. But that wasn’t the only withdrawal: Christian Kist also ended his match against Max Hopp after three legs.

Ricardo Pietreczko is currently going through one of the toughest phases of his career. There have been hardly any good results or strong performances, so Germany’s number 2 badly needs confidence right now. On Monday, Ricardo Pietreczko lost 4-6 to compatriot Kai Gotthardt, averaging only 80.46 points.

Today he wanted to put things right, but after just two legs, he handed a walkover. His average at that point was below 60 points. That handed Jeffrey de Zwaan a free pass into round two, where he lost to Adam Warner. There has been no confirmed reason so far, but Fabian Dippold, who commentates in German for PDC.TV on Board 1 at Players Championship, suggested it was dartitis issues again.

He had already struggled with his throwing action at the European Tour event in Munich. Ricardo clearly had problems in Munich with his release and grip and recently changed his action. He is now trying to throw more “in one fluid motion,” dispensing with the backswing. Pietreczko already had to abandon a match in 2024, that time on the European Tour in Hungary. Back then, however, severe wrist pain was the issue. Pietreczko heads to Austria this weekend, where the sixth European Tour event is on the schedule. In five weeks, he will also team up with Martin Schindler at the World Cup of Darts.

But Pietreczko wasn’t the only withdrawal of the day. Christian Kist ended his match against Max Hopp after three legs. He, too, was averaging below 60 points after three legs. He repeatedly struggles with gout, though it’s not known whether that was the reason this time. The hope for both players is that things improve quickly and that they can compete at the next tournaments without issues.