Brendan Dolan bags tenth PDC title at Players Championship 10
Brendan Dolan claimed his tenth PDC title at Players Championship 10 with an 8-4 win over Jeffrey de Graaf in the final in Hildesheim on Tuesday.
Dolan produced a typically tenacious display to clinch the £15,000 top prize at Halle 39, averaging 98 to deny Swedish star De Graaf a first PDC ranking title.
The Northern Irishman also became the tenth different winner in as many Players Championship events in 2024 as he took a huge step towards World Matchplay qualification.
Dolan began his campaign with a trio of 6-2 victories, sweeping aside Robert Grundy and Franz Roetzsch before dumping out two-time World Champion Peter Wright.
The 50-year-old then recorded a ton-plus average to defeat Dom Taylor, and after fending off a late fightback from his compatriot Daryl Gurney, he won through a gruelling semi-final against Graham Hall.
Dolan punished a tentative start from De Graaf to race into a 3-0 lead in the final, and he maintained his early advantage with 12 and 11-dart holds in legs five and seven.
De Graaf replied with back-to-back legs to cut the deficit to 5-4, but Dolan restored his lead with another 12-darter in leg ten, before converting a clinical 109 checkout in leg 12 to seal victory.
“It’s an absolutely brilliant feeling,” said Dolan, who last tasted victory on the PDC ProTour in July 2022.
“All I’ve been thinking about over the last few months is trying to qualify for the World Matchplay and World Grand Prix.
“That’s what I have been striving for, and thankfully I am really close to achieving that now.”
“It’s about having the appetite for the game.
“The talent of the young lads coming through is unbelievable, and it’s actually rejuvenated me.
“There is still plenty left for me to achieve. I’ve been playing at this level for 20 years, and I would still love to be world number one. It may never happen, but I’ll keep trying.
“I would also love to win a TV title and a European Tour event, so that will be my ambition going forward!”
De Graaf, a winner of two Nordic & Baltic ProTour titles this year, continued his strong start to 2024 to reach a first Players Championship final.
The Dutch-born Swede edged out Mike De Decker, Matt Campbell and Scott Williams in deciding legs, while also claiming the scalps of Frenchman Thibault Tricole and Polish star Krzysztof Ratajski.
Ratajski made it back-to-back semi-finals with a series impressive displays on Tuesday, averaging 102 in victory over Andy Baetens, before defying seven 180s from Stephen Bunting to seal a superb 6-2 success in the quarter-finals.
Hall also broke new ground with a run to a maiden ProTour semi-final, following up a First Round whitewash of Chris Landman by dumping out Monday’s champion Michael Smith and Dutch number two Danny Noppert.
Top seed Dave Chisnall produced the performance of the afternoon in Hildesheim, averaging 114 in his First Round demolition of Tim Wolters, while Gary Anderson averaged 111 to dispatch Matthew Dennant at the same stage.
Meanwhile, Darryl Pilgrim achieved perfection in the opening leg of his First Round clash against Jelle Klaasen – the ninth perfect leg hit on the Players Championship circuit this season.
Michael van Gerwen suffered a second successive First Round exit as he went down to Karel Sedlacek in a deciding leg after missing two match darts, while the likes of Damon Heta, Chris Dobey and Joe Cullen were also dumped out in Round One.
Players Championship 10 Results
Tuesday May 7
First Round
Martin Lukeman 6-2 Kai Gotthardt
Niels Zonneveld 6-3 Christian Perez
Dave Chisnall 6-1 Tim Wolters
Mervyn King 6-4 Jamie Hughes
Jonny Clayton 6-0 Nathan Rafferty
Ricky Evans 6-4 Radek Szaganski
Daryl Gurney 6-0 Martijn Dragt
Leighton Bennett 6-4 Danny van Trijp
Ritchie Edhouse 6-1 Dylan Slevin
Alan Soutar 6-4 Maik Kuivenhoven
Dom Taylor 6-5 Chris Dobey
Jelle Klaasen 6-5 Darryl Pilgrim – *Pilgrim hits a nine-darter*
Brendan Dolan 6-2 Robert Grundy
Franz Roetzsch 6-3 Oskar Lukasiak
Peter Wright 6-2 Jeffrey Sparidaans
Wessel Nijman 6-0 Geert Nentjes
Keegan Brown 6-3 Jose De Sousa
Graham Hall 6-0 Chris Landman
Ross Smith 6-5 Jermaine Wattimena
Madars Razma 6-1 Jurjen van der Velde
Andrew Gilding 6-4 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Stephen Burton 6-5 Robbie Knops
Michael Smith 6-4 Adam Warner
Jules van Dongen 6-3 Joshua Richardson
Steve Beaton 6-3 Callan Rydz
Simon Whitlock 6-5 Wesley Plaisier
Danny Noppert 6-4 Michele Turetta
Ronny Huybrechts 6-1 Mickey Mansell
Lukas Wenig 6-5 Luke Woodhouse
Daniel Klose 6-1 Adam Gawlas
Ryan Joyce 6-3 Danny Lauby
Shane McGuirk 6-1 Nick Kenny
Richard Veenstra 6-1 Owen Roelofs
Mensur Suljovic 6-5 Jeffrey De Zwaan
Scott Williams 6-5 Damon Heta
Patrick Geeraets 6-4 Brett Claydon
Raymond van Barneveld 6-2 Rhys Griffin
Vincent van der Voort 6-5 Ian White
Karel Sedlacek 6-5 Michael van Gerwen
Cameron Menzies 6-1 Haupai Puha
Mike De Decker 6-3 Lee Cocks
Jeffrey De Graaf 6-4 Owen Bates
Josh Rock 6-0 Stefan Bellmont
Matt Campbell 6-5 Darren Beveridge
James Hurrell 6-3 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Josh Payne 6-3 Ryan Meikle
Ricardo Pietreczko 6-3 Kim Huybrechts
Thibault Tricole 6-5 Florian Hempel
Kevin Doets 6-0 Rowby-John Rodriguez
Danny Jansen 6-4 Callum Goffin
Gary Anderson 6-2 Matthew Dennant
Richie Burnett 6-2 Pascal Rupprecht
Krzysztof Ratajski 6-1 William Borland
Andy Baetens 6-3 Noa-Lynn van Leuven
Berry van Peer 6-0 Joe Cullen
Jim Williams 6-4 George Killington
Paul Krohne 6-4 Gabriel Clemens
Keane Barry 6-3 Steve Lennon
Stephen Bunting 6-1 Adam Hunt
Mario Vandenbogaerde 6-5 Andy Boulton
James Wade 6-2 Benjamin Drue Reus
William O’Connor 6-2 Lee Evans
Gian van Veen 6-2 Arron Monk
Jitse Van der Wal 6-5 Rene Eidams
Second Round
Niels Zonneveld 6-4 Martin Lukeman
Dave Chisnall 6-4 Mervyn King
Jonny Clayton 6-3 Ricky Evans
Daryl Gurney 6-0 Leighton Bennett
Ritchie Edhouse 6-5 Alan Soutar
Dom Taylor 6-1 Jelle Klaasen
Brendan Dolan 6-2 Franz Roetzsch
Peter Wright 6-4 Wessel Nijman
Graham Hall 6-2 Keegan Brown
Madars Razma 6-5 Ross Smith
Andrew Gilding 6-2 Stephen Burton
Michael Smith 6-2 Jules van Dongen
Simon Whitlock 6-0 Steve Beaton
Danny Noppert 6-5 Ronny Huybrechts
Daniel Klose 6-2 Lukas Wenig
Ryan Joyce 6-2 Shane McGuirk
Richard Veenstra 6-0 Mensur Suljovic
Scott Williams 6-1 Patrick Geeraets
Raymond van Barneveld 6-3 Vincent van der Voort
Karel Sedlacek 6-5 Cameron Menzies
Jeffrey De Graaf 6-5 Mike De Decker
Matt Campbell 6-5 Josh Rock
James Hurrell 6-4 Josh Payne
Thibault Tricole 6-0 Ricardo Pietreczko
Kevin Doets 6-5 Danny Jansen
Richie Burnett 6-5 Gary Anderson
Krzysztof Ratajski 6-3 Andy Baetens
Jim Williams 6-1 Berry van Peer
Keane Barry 6-3 Paul Krohne
Stephen Bunting 6-5 Mario Vandenbogaerde
William O’Connor 6-4 James Wade
Gian van Veen 6-1 Jitse Van der Wal
Last 32
Dave Chisnall 6-2 Niels Zonneveld
Daryl Gurney 6-4 Jonny Clayton
Dom Taylor 6-5 Ritchie Edhouse
Brendan Dolan 6-2 Peter Wright
Graham Hall 6-3 Madars Razma
Michael Smith 6-1 Andrew Gilding
Danny Noppert 6-1 Simon Whitlock
Ryan Joyce 6-2 Daniel Klose
Scott Williams 6-3 Richard Veenstra
Karel Sedlacek 6-3 Raymond van Barneveld
Jeffrey De Graaf 6-5 Matt Campbell
Thibault Tricole 6-2 James Hurrell
Richie Burnett 6-5 Kevin Doets
Krzysztof Ratajski 6-4 Jim Williams
Stephen Bunting 6-3 Keane Barry
Gian van Veen 6-1 William O’Connor
Last 16
Daryl Gurney 6-4 Dave Chisnall
Brendan Dolan 6-4 Dom Taylor
Graham Hall 6-3 Michael Smith
Danny Noppert 6-4 Ryan Joyce
Scott Williams 6-5 Karel Sedlacek
Jeffrey De Graaf 6-3 Thibault Tricole
Krzysztof Ratajski 6-2 Richie Burnett
Stephen Bunting 6-2 Gian van Veen
Quarter-Finals
Brendan Dolan 6-4 Daryl Gurney
Graham Hall 6-5 Danny Noppert
Jeffrey De Graaf 6-5 Scott Williams
Krzysztof Ratajski 6-2 Stephen Bunting
Semi-Finals
Brendan Dolan 7-5 Graham Hall
Jeffrey De Graaf 7-5 Krzysztof Ratajski
Final
Brendan Dolan 8-4 Jeffrey De Graaf
