Wessel Nijman equals Michael van Gerwen's European Tour record

Wessel Nijman won the European Darts Trophy last weekend. The 25-year-old Dutchman was dominant throughout the tournament and beat Welshman Gerwyn Price 8-3 in the final. Nijman also equaled a record on the European Tour.

Wessel Nijman’s dominance at the recent European Darts Trophy led to a striking statistic: he matched the record for fewest legs lost on finals day since 2018. With just seven legs dropped, the Dutchman claimed the title and joined a very select group.

Finals day on the Euro Tour consists of four matches from the last 16 through to the final, so players typically concede a fair number of legs, even in convincing wins.

That’s precisely why the tally of seven legs lost is so impressive: it means a player gives up on average fewer than two legs per match.

Until now, only one player had previously reached this level: Michael van Gerwen. He achieved this feat at the German Darts Championship in 2018, a period in which he dominated the circuit almost entirely. That Nijman now draws level underscores his growth and potential at the highest level.

Behind this record is a small group of top players who also lost remarkably few legs en route to the title. Luke Humphries did so twice in 2024, dropping eight legs at the German Darts Grand Prix and nine at the Czech Darts Open. Gerwyn Price also recorded nine lost legs in his title run at the Belgian Darts Championship. Notably, even in their best runs these world-class players did not reach the seven-leg mark.

The numbers show how exceptional Nijman’s achievement is. While eight or nine lost legs already signals a dominant day, seven sits in a category of its own. It requires not only scoring power, but also constant pressure on the opponent and clinical finishing.

For Nijman, this performance could prove a significant milestone. It’s not just a tournament victory, but also statistical confirmation that he can operate at the very highest level throughout an entire finals day. If he can maintain this trajectory, he could well establish himself among the absolute elite.

With his name now alongside Van Gerwen’s in the record books, Nijman has in any case made a powerful statement on the European Tour.