Gary Anderson ended a three-year wait for a PDC ranking title by claiming glory at Players Championship Eight with an 8-5 win over Krzysztof Ratajski in the final in Hildesheim.

Anderson continued his terrific start to the season by scooping the £12,000 top prize with four ton-plus averages along the way.

The Scot, runner-up to Ross Smith at Players Championship Five last week, went one better as he returned to the winner’s circle for the first time since February 2020.

Anderson fired in six 180s and produced a stunning 170 checkout to overcome an equally resurgent Ratajski in Monday’s final.

The pair shared the opening four legs of the final, only for Anderson to seize control with a run of three straight legs – featuring the spectacular maximum finish in leg seven.

Ratajski responded to reduce the deficit to 5-4, but Anderson kept his cool, producing back-to-back 180s before pinning double five to clinch victory.

“I’m playing well. I am practicing and it’s going alright,” said a fired-up Anderson.

“I must admit, I read a tweet from Paul Nicholson saying I’m one of the world’s worst losers.

“I’m going to have a wee chat with him when I get him on the corner because there’s losing and there’s being done over.

“So which one is being a ‘bad loser’? Is it the Gary that’s getting beat and gives it ‘hands up – you played well’, or is it the boy who’s effing and blinding in your ear?

“I’ve had that in my head today and I’m gunning for them.

“I’m just here to give you a sore head and p*ss you off, which I’m doing quite well to be honest.

“Paul says I’m a bad loser, well we’ll see.

“I’m just back playing darts and enjoying it. It’s been something I’ve not wanted to do for the last three years.

“I usually come here and I’ve got a face like fizz because I’ve had two flights and a taxi but I’ve had a good laugh this weekend.

“I’ve spent 28/29 years of my life out of a suitcase – I like being at home, so for me to come here and play darts, it’s a step forward and it’s giving a lot of folk headaches.”

Anderson boasted a tournament average of 100 across his seven matches, kicking off his campaign with battling wins over Jamie Hughes and Jelle Klaasen.

He then moved through to the Last 16 with an impressive 6-4 success against top seed Luke Humphries, before averaging 110.5 to dump out Premier League star Dimitri Van den Bergh.

The 52-year-old continued his charge with a convincing Quarter-Final win over Dutch prospect Gian van Veen, which he followed with an emphatic 7-3 victory over rival Gerwyn Price.

Meanwhile, fresh from reaching Sunday’s Semi-Finals, Ratajski capped off a terrific weekend by reaching his first ProTour final since last August.

Poland’s number one eased through to the Last 16 with wins over Richie Burnett, Ryan Meikle and Boris Krcmar, before averaging over 107 to complete a last-leg win over Dave Chisnall.

Ratajski converted successive ton-plus finishes to edge out Brendan Dolan in the Quarter-Finals, and a stunning 109 average saw him dispatch Ricardo Pietreczko to seal his spot in the final.

German youngster Pietreczko performed superbly in reaching his second ProTour Semi-Final, whitewashing Keegan Brown and dumping out Jonny Clayton and European Champion Ross Smith on home soil.

Price defeated his Premier League rival Michael van Gerwen en route to reaching the Semi-Finals, denying the Dutchman back-to-back titles.

The Welshman also averaged 105 in wins over Ricky Evans and Scott Williams, before later claiming a deciding-leg win against Luke Woodhouse in the Last Eight.

Woodhouse was featuring in his first ranking Quarter-Final of 2023, exiting at the same stage as Players Championship Five winner Smith, emerging Dutchman Van Veen and Sunday’s nine-dart hero Dolan.

Monday’s action also featured a nine-darter from William O’Connor, who achieved perfection in his opening round demolition of Jimmy Hendriks.

Chisnall produced the performance of the day in Germany, averaging 117.4 in his first round victory over Kevin Burness, before succumbing to Ratajski in a dramatic Last 16 tussle.

Sunday’s runner-up Josh Rock was beaten by Van Veen in Round One, while Chris Dobey, Danny Noppert and Joe Cullen were also among the First Round casualties.

Fallon Sherrock’s ProTour debut ended in a 6-2 defeat at the hands of Belgium’s Mario Vandenbogaerde in the opening round.

Players Championship Eight Results

Monday March 20

Last 128
Gary Anderson 6-3 Jamie Hughes
Jelle Klaasen 6-3 Robert Owen
Luke Humphries 6-2 Jeff Smith
Niels Zonneveld 6-5 Stefan Bellmont
Gabriel Clemens 6-2 Darius Labanauskas
Jeffrey Sparidaans 6-2 John O’Shea
Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-3 Graham Usher
Alan Soutar 6-4 Keane Barry
Josh Payne 6-5 Kim Huybrechts
Thibault Tricole 6-3 Mickey Mansell
Gian van Veen 6-5 Josh Rock
Owen Roelofs 6-4 Ritchie Edhouse
Mike De Decker 6-0 Chris Dobey
Christian Kist 6-1 Nick Fullwell
Cam Crabtree 6-3 Martin Schindler
William O’Connor 6-1 Jimmy Hendriks – *O’Connor hits a nine-darter*
Simon Whitlock 6-3 Jim Williams
Ryan Joyce 6-4 Jules van Dongen
Michael van Gerwen 6-0 George Killington
Maik Kuivenhoven 6-2 Arron Monk
Madars Razma 6-2 Jamie Clark
Scott Williams 6-4 Dylan Slevin
Gerwyn Price 6-3 Lee Evans
Ricky Evans 6-4 Nick Kenny
Daniel Klose 6-4 Steve Beaton
Luke Woodhouse 6-1 Mensur Suljovic
Damon Heta 6-3 Stephen Burton
Berry van Peer 6-1 Shaun Wilkinson
James Wade 6-1 Danny Jansen
Vincent van der Voort 6-2 Jacques Labre
Owen Bates 6-5 Andrew Gilding
Ted Evetts 6-5 Scott Waites
Raymond van Barneveld 6-5 Jermaine Wattimena
Geert Nentjes 6-2 Connor Scutt
Dave Chisnall 6-3 Kevin Burness
Richard Veenstra 6-1 Radek Szaganski
Krzysztof Ratajski 6-3 Richie Burnett
Ryan Meikle 6-5 Danny van Trijp
Boris Krcmar 6-5 Stephen Bunting
Lukas Wenig 6-3 Robbie Knops
Brendan Dolan 6-0 Graham Hall
Florian Hempel 6-5 Luc Peters
Karel Sedlacek 6-5 Danny Noppert
Mario Vandenbogaerde 6-2 Fallon Sherrock
Rowby-John Rodriguez 6-2 Adam Gawlas
Pascal Rupprecht 6-2 Tony Martinez
Andy Boulton 6-3 Joe Cullen
James Hurrell 6-4 Alex Spellman
Krzysztof Kciuk 6-3 Daryl Gurney
Ross Montgomery 6-5 Ian White
Damian Mol 6-5 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Matt Campbell 6-2 Jose Justicia
Ross Smith 6-0 Chris Landman
Cameron Menzies 6-5 Bradley Brooks
Jurjen van der Velde 6-4 Jose De Sousa
Adam Warner 6-2 Callum Goffin
Rusty-Jake Rodriguez 6-3 Martin Lukeman
Mervyn King 6-5 Ronny Huybrechts
Keegan Brown 6-3 Rob Cross
Devon Petersen 6-1 Brian Raman
Steve Lennon 6-3 Callan Rydz
Lewis Williams 6-2 Martijn Kleermaker
Jonny Clayton 6-5 Darren Webster
Ricardo Pietreczko 6-1 Vladimir Andersen

Second Round
Gary Anderson 6-4 Jelle Klaasen
Luke Humphries 6-3 Niels Zonneveld
Jeffrey Sparidaans 6-3 Gabriel Clemens
Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-1 Alan Soutar
Thibault Tricole 6-4 Josh Payne
Gian van Veen 6-5 Owen Roelofs
Mike De Decker 6-4 Christian Kist
William O’Connor 6-3 Cam Crabtree
Simon Whitlock 6-5 Ryan Joyce
Michael van Gerwen 6-4 Maik Kuivenhoven
Scott Williams 6-4 Madars Razma
Gerwyn Price 6-5 Ricky Evans
Luke Woodhouse 6-3 Daniel Klose
Damon Heta 6-5 Berry van Peer
James Wade 6-1 Vincent van der Voort
Owen Bates 6-5 Ted Evetts
Raymond van Barneveld 6-1 Geert Nentjes
Dave Chisnall 6-5 Richard Veenstra
Krzysztof Ratajski 6-2 Ryan Meikle
Boris Krcmar 6-4 Lukas Wenig
Brendan Dolan 6-3 Florian Hempel
Karel Sedlacek 6-3 Mario Vandenbogaerde
Pascal Rupprecht 6-1 Rowby-John Rodriguez
Andy Boulton 6-3 James Hurrell
Krzysztof Kciuk 6-4 Ross Montgomery
Damian Mol 6-4 Matt Campbell
Ross Smith 6-3 Cameron Menzies
Jurjen van der Velde 6-4 Adam Warner
Rusty-Jake Rodriguez 6-2 Mervyn King
Keegan Brown 6-5 Devon Petersen
Steve Lennon 6-1 Lewis Williams
Ricardo Pietreczko 6-4 Jonny Clayton
Losers: £750

Last 32
Gary Anderson 6-4 Luke Humphries
Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-3 Jeffrey Sparidaans
Gian van Veen 6-4 Thibault Tricole
Mike De Decker 6-4 William O’Connor
Michael van Gerwen 6-2 Simon Whitlock
Gerwyn Price 6-2 Scott Williams
Luke Woodhouse 6-4 Damon Heta
James Wade 6-2 Owen Bates
Dave Chisnall 6-4 Raymond van Barneveld
Krzysztof Ratajski 6-3 Boris Krcmar
Brendan Dolan 6-4 Karel Sedlacek
Andy Boulton 6-3 Pascal Rupprecht
Krzysztof Kciuk 6-2 Damian Mol
Ross Smith 6-3 Jurjen van der Velde
Keegan Brown 6-3 Rusty-Jake Rodriguez
Ricardo Pietreczko 6-5 Steve Lennon
Losers: £1,250

Last 16
Gary Anderson 6-3 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Gian van Veen 6-4 Mike De Decker
Gerwyn Price 6-4 Michael van Gerwen
Luke Woodhouse 6-3 James Wade
Krzysztof Ratajski 6-5 Dave Chisnall
Brendan Dolan 6-5 Andy Boulton
Ross Smith 6-1 Krzysztof Kciuk
Ricardo Pietreczko 6-0 Keegan Brown
Losers: £2,000

Quarter-Finals
Gary Anderson 6-2 Gian van Veen
Gerwyn Price 6-5 Luke Woodhouse
Krzysztof Ratajski 6-5 Brendan Dolan
Ricardo Pietreczko 6-3 Ross Smith
Losers: £3,000

Semi-Finals
Gary Anderson 7-3 Gerwyn Price
Krzysztof Ratajski 7-2 Ricardo Pietreczko
Losers: £4,000

Final
Gary Anderson 8-5 Krzysztof Ratajski
Winner: £12,000
Runner-up: £8,000

Latest Free Bet Offers (18+)

CLICK HERE TO CLAIM THIS OFFER

*18+ only. New Customers only. Bet £10* & Get £30* in Free Bets. Sign up, deposit between £5* and £10* to your account and bet365 will give you three times that value in Free Bets when you place qualifying bets to the same value and they are settled. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits. Min odds/bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. T&Cs, time limits & exclusions apply. BeGambleAware.org. *or currency equivalent.

CLICK HERE TO CLAIM THIS OFFER

New customer offer. Place a min £10 bet on the Sportsbook on odds of min 1/2 (1.5), get £30 in Free Bets. Rewards valid for 30 days. SMS verification required. Only deposits via cards or Apple Pay will qualify. T&Cs apply. Please Gamble Responsibly.