The new darts season really started with the first two Players championship events of the year. Max Hopp celebrated his comeback on the tour. The “Maximiser” still has to be patient for a win.
The first two Players championship tournaments of the year are played. Florian Hempel ensured the best result from a German perspective by reaching the quarter -finals on Tuesday.
Magm, Max Hopp celebrated his comeback on the tour in Wigan. The 28-year-old lost his opening match. So the “Maximiser” clearly lost 2: 6 against the Czechs Karel Sedlacek on Monday. It was scarce against Tavis Dudeney on Tuesday. Here, however, Hopp also had a look at 5: 6.
When warming up in Wigan, the 2015 junior world champion had thrown a 9-darter, as he documented on Instagram.
Hopp had been able to get back the tour card at this year’s Q school after two years.
Darts: Niko Springer reaches third round
With Kai Gotthardt, Dominik Grüllich, Maximilian Czerwinski, Leon Weber (via the Q-School) and Niko Springer (via the Development Tour), five German darter were also able to secure the ticket for the large PDC tour for the first time in their career.
Gotthardt (6: 4 against Rhys Griffin) and Weber (6: 2 against Dennie Olde Kalter) took place in round two at the start on Monday. All other German Tourcard Holder around Martin Schindler, Gabriel Clemens and Ricardo Pietreczko had already lost in round one.
On Tuesday it was Springer who could play after Siegen about Thomas Lovely (6: 4) and Daryl Gurney (6: 2) until the top 32. Schindler reached the round of 16. Hempel moved to the quarter -finals.
Rob Cross from England and the Welsh Gerwyn Price meanwhile won the first two of a total of 34 Players championship tournaments in the darts year of 2025.