This post was originally published on this site.
Wessel Nijman emulated fellow Dutchman Michael van Gerwen as he continued his superb form in the Players Championship with victory in the 14th tournament of the year.
The 25-year-old beat Max Hopp 8-1 in a one-sided final at the event in Hildesheim, Germany.
It ensured Nijman became the first to win five Players Championship titles in a year since fellow Dutchman Van Gerwen achieved the feat in 2016.
“I don’t really care about records, I care more about the form that I’m playing right now,” he told the PDC website.
“I just want to be in the top 16 and make as many steps as close to number one as possible by the end of the year.”
A number of the sport’s top players – including Luke Littler and Luke Humphries – skipped the event.
Van Gerwen was beaten 6-4 in the third round by Austria’s Mensur Suljovic, while two-time world champion Gary Anderson was upset 6-5 by Lewis Pride in the first round.
There are 34 Players Championship events across the year, with the competition’s finals held in Minehead in November.
