Schindler firmly in top-32 world ranking: "But important that I don't rest on my laurels"

Currently sitting number 27 in the PDC Order of Merit, Martin Schindler is threatening a breakout year. With his form firmly on the up, the German is now determined to stay focused and not start getting complacent.

"The trend is upwards. But it's also important that I can't rest on my laurels. I have to keep working hard to get even higher," Schindler reveals in an interview with Sport1. "There's still a long way to go. I'm not completely satisfied yet. I want to win tournaments and do well in the majors. And hopefully one day be one of the best in the world."

The most recent confirmation of Schindler's progress came with a nine-dart finish, the first of his professional career, against Boris Krcmar in a Players Championship event. "Of course it was another special moment that felt like it went by so fast. I am very happy that I managed this 9-darter and hope that one or the other will follow," he explains. "Nevertheless, in the end it's obviously more important to me to win the games."

The battle within German darts is fierce at the moment, with both Schindler and Gabriel Clemens at the forefront of the fight for the right to call themselves German number one. "The topic with the German number one, that we dealt with that right away: I don't want to leave that out. Gabriel Clemens is a good friend of mine and for me it's not about being ahead of him in the rankings," says Schindler. "For me it's just about doing well in the rankings in general. The Order of Merit counts. It makes a big difference whether you are number one in the world or number one in Germany."