Michael van Gerwen's search for a first PDC ProTour win of the season continues after he was dumped out of Players Championship 14 in Hildesheim. The three-time world champion lost 6-4 to Austria's Mensur Suljovic in the third round, with Suljovic subsequently falling to Tom Bissell in the quarter-finals.

Wessel Nijman claimed his fifth title of the year, becoming the first player since Van Gerwen in 2016 to win five titles in a calendar year. The Dutchman crushed Max Hopp 8-1 in the final to scoop the £15,000 top prize, producing a stunning 104.62 average in the title decider. Nijman punished Hopp for busting 61 to lead 1-0, then dominated with an 84 outshot on the bullseye and a 140 checkout in legs five and six, racing to a 6-0 lead.

The 25-year-old Nijman has now reached six finals in just 12 attempts this year, with Matt Edgar on the Love The Darts podcast praising his commitment after stepping away from his job to focus on darts full-time. Hopp entered the top ten of the Players Championship rankings after making his first final since 2019. The next Players Championship events 15-16 will be played in Leicester on May 11-12.