“Then you can let out a roar” – Emotional Wessel Nijman reflects fondly on Players Championship 2 title win

Wessel Nijman has kicked off the season in a way that impresses not just on paper, but above all his opponents. With a new floor title in the bag, commanding averages, and a rock-solid mindset, the young darter is showing he is ready for the big stage.

Nijman won last Thursday the second Players Championship of the year by beating Gerwyn Price 8-7 in the final. “To start a season like this is very good for me,” he told Viaplay. It typifies Nijman: no chest-thumping, no big talk, just a healthy satisfaction. Only in the final did he need a deciding leg.

According to Nijman himself, it starts with belief. “If you don’t have to play a deciding leg, by definition you’re in a good place,” he says. And that’s exactly how it was. His game was steady, his scoring consistent, and he gave little away on the doubles. That is crucial on the floor, where the pace is high and every mistake is punished mercilessly.

Even so, Nijman knew a daunting task awaited him in the final. His opponent had run riot in the quarterfinals against none other than Michael van Gerwen. With a 117 average and a crushing 6-0 win, he showed he was in red-hot form. Numbers like that do not go unnoticed.

“Between matches I’m just on my phone as well,” Nijman admits candidly. “In WhatsApp groups those messages just come in.” The darts world is small, and performances like that spread instantly. Nijman knew exactly what he was up against.

His opponent in the final was Gerwyn Price, a player known for his intensity and scoring power. And in the decider the Welshman posted imposing figures again: well over a 107 average and nearly 78 percent on his doubles. Normally those numbers are enough to win almost any match. Yet Nijman came out on top.

How do you win a final against someone playing like that? According to Nijman, the answer is timing. “It’s purely about doing the right things at the right moments,” he explains.

It sounds simple, but in practice it’s the essence of elite sport. At 7-7 in legs, Nijman produced a 121 checkout – a sledgehammer at precisely the right time. Where others might buckle under pressure, he shifted up a gear. “That’s being able to peak at exactly the right moment,” he says.

It wasn’t even that he surprised himself. Earlier in the day he had already thrown several matches with a 100-plus average. He knew it was in his game. “Not necessarily a 117 average, but a good match,” he adds with perspective.

Anyone watching the final back will see an explosion of emotion after the winning double. A primal scream, clenched fists – finally it could all come out. Remarkable, because Nijman had seemed stoic all day long.

“You always have to stay calm and show virtually no emotion,” he explains. On the floor, where multiple matches often run simultaneously and the crowd is limited, everything revolves around focus. No theatre, no show – just pure darts.

But in the final, when the venue was largely empty, he let his feelings go. “Then you’re allowed a roar,” he says with a smile. It was the release after a day of tight control. And perhaps also the realisation that he had taken another big step in his development.

Anyone lining up the recent winners of floor events sees an impressive list: Jermaine Wattimena, Luke Littler, Chris Dobey, James Wade – and increasingly among them the name Wessel Nijman.

Three of the last seven floor tournaments have gone his way. That’s no longer coincidence, that’s a trend. In a circuit where competition is fierce and the standard is extraordinarily high, consistency is the biggest weapon. And that’s exactly where Nijman sets himself apart.

“I couldn’t have imagined that beforehand,” he admits. “But it’s really something very cool.” The down-to-earth tone remains, but between the lines you can hear the pride. Rightly so. Because winning on the floor means you have to beat multiple top players in a single day. No time to play yourself in, no big stage to feed off – just you, your darts, and an opponent who is just as hungry.