Wessel Nijman captured his sixth Players Championship title of the season with an 8-6 victory over Ryan Searle in Tuesday's final at Wigan's Robin Park Leisure Centre. The Dutch star extended his lead at the top of the Players Championship rankings with a ton-plus average throughout the tournament, defeating Stephen Burton, Darryl Pilgrim, Adam Gawlas and Kai Gotthardt en route to the title.

Nijman's path to the final saw him dispatch Kevin Doets in the quarter-finals before overcoming Beau Greaves 7-4 in the semi-finals, completing the win with legs of 11 and 15 darts. In the final, Searle missed three doubles in the crucial penultimate leg, allowing Nijman to edge ahead before sealing victory with a 14-darter finish.

The 25-year-old becomes the first player in 14 years to win six Players Championship titles in a calendar year, matching compatriot Michael van Gerwen's achievement. He also joins an elite group including Phil Taylor and Gary Anderson as only the sixth player to claim seven Pro Tour titles in one season. Searle earned £10,000 in prize money despite the loss, while Nijman leapfrogged Nathan Aspinall on the PDC Werner Rankings Ladder.