Martin Schindler secured the first Players Championship title of his career as he beat Jeffrey de Graaf 8-1 to win Players Championship Eight in Hildesheim on Tuesday.
The German number one has been making steady progress in the last 12 months, and now adds his first Players Championship crown to the two European Tour titles he won in 2024.
Schindler made light work of his opponent in the final, charging into a 5-0 lead without reply, before sinking a match-high 126 checkout to move to the brink of victory - which was eventually sealed on double ten.
“If I am honest, I haven’t played great today but I have managed to win my games and that is the most important thing I guess,” said Schindler.
“I always thought the first title I would win would be a Players Championship one, but then I got the two European Tour titles. I don’t care how they have come but I am so happy right now."
Schindler was nearly eliminated at the semi-final stage, as he survived two match darts against Patrick Geeraets.
The Dutchman led 6-3 and spurned two darts at double 16 for a place in the final, only for Schindler to dig deep and win four legs in succession to squeeze through.
“Fair play to Patrick but he wasn’t playing great, and I was just thinking I could be doing better," continued the former World Cup semi-finalist.
"I thought just give it a little bit more and maybe it will be enough. Like I said, I haven’t played great but I am very happy to now win my third title.”
The run to the final for Schindler started with a routine 6-3 win over George Killington, before the 28-year-old posted his highest average of the day (100.57) in beating Danny Lauby 6-4.
Comfortable 6-3 wins followed over Robert Grundy and Mensur Suljovic, before he held his nerve by beating Kevin Doets in a last-leg decider and followed that with the gruelling victory over Geeraets.
De Graaf - playing in his third Players Championship final - started his campaign with an electric 6-1 win over Andy Baetens in which he averaged 103.04.
Victories over Daryl Gurney (6-3), Berry van Peer (6-2) and Ian White (6-3) followed and he booked his place in the title showdown by seeing off Dylan Slevin (6-5) and Dom Taylor (7-4).
It was largely a day of shocks in Germany and by the last 16 stage, just two of the world’s top 32 remained in the field at Players Championship Eight.
Event Seven winner Gary Anderson suffered a second round exit at the hands of compatriot Greg Ritchie, with Peter Wright, Michael Smith and Dimitri Van den Bergh amongst the first round casualties in Hildesheim.
Perfection was struck once again in Germany however, as Lukas Wenig fired in a nine-dart leg in his first round clash with Dom Taylor.
2025 Players Championship 8 results
Last 16
- Dylan Slevin 6-3 Sebastian Bialecki
- Jeffrey de Graaf 6-3 Ian White
- Dom Taylor 6-2 Mario Vandenbogaerde
- Ryan Searle 6-3 Nick Kenny
- Martin Schindler 6-3 Mensur Suljovic
- Kevin Doets 6-3 Ted Evetts
- Niels Zonneveld 6-5 Raymond van Barneveld
- Patrick Geeraets 6-5 Greg Ritchie
Quarter-Finals
- Jeffrey de Graaf 6-5 Dylan Slevin
- Dom Taylor 6-5 Ryan Searle
- Martin Schindler 6-5 Kevin Doets
- Patrick Geeraets 6-4 Niels Zonneveld
Semi-Finals
- Jeffrey de Graaf 7-4 Dom Taylor
- Martin Schindler 7-6 Patrick Geeraets
Final
- Martin Schindler 8-1 Jeffrey de Graaf
Nine-Darter!
Lukas Wenig hit a nine-darter in his first round tie against Dom Taylor.
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