Ross Smith denied nine-dart star Josh Rock to emotionally secure his second ProTour title of 2025 at Wednesday’s Players Championship 29 in Leicester.
Smith had withdrawn from last weekend's Swiss Darts Trophy for family reasons, but produced a classy series of displays as he swept all the way to victory at the Mattioli Arena.
Smith showed his class with four ton-plus averages during the event, while he also came from 6-4 and 7-5 down in the final against Rock before snatching victory with a 118 checkout in the deciding leg.
The win follows up Smith's imperious Players Championship 16 success in May, while the former European Champion was visibly emotional as he embraced Rock after landing the winning double 19.
Smith showed his class with four ton-plus averages during the event, while he also came from 6-4 and 7-5 down in the final against Rock before snatching victory with a 118 checkout in the deciding leg.
The win follows up Smith's imperious Players Championship 16 success in May, while the former European Champion was visibly emotional as he embraced Rock after landing the winning double 19.
Smith's run in Wednesday's event began with a 104 average as he saw off Berry van Peer, and he then saw off Jamai van den Herik and Lukas Wenig for the loss of just three legs.
He then produced a sensational 106 average to whitewash Michael van Gerwen in the last 16, before seeing off Ryan Meikle and Wessel Nijman to make the decider.
Rock produced the day's only nine-dart finish during his Round Three win over Wesley Plaisier, and he went on to defeat two further Dutchmen - Dirk van Duijvenbode and Danny Noppert - to reach the semi-finals.
There, he enjoyed a 7-4 success against Gary Anderson - claiming the game's decisive only break of throw in leg four - but was denied a second Players Championship title of 2025 by the narrowest of margins.
Anderson and Nijman enjoyed encouraging runs to the semi-finals in the build-up to next week's BOYLE Sports World Grand Prix, while world number one Luke Humphries and World Masters finalist Jonny Clayton progressed to the quarter-finals.
Van Gerwen won through to the last 16 as he continues his bid to secure a spot in next month's Ladbrokes Players Championship Finals, while Nathan Aspinall also remains outside the 64 qualifying places following his first round exit.
Thursday sees the week's ProTour triple-header conclude with Players Championship 30 from 1300 BST.
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2025 Players Championship 29 results
Last 16
- Ryan Meikle 6-5 Stephen Bunting
- Ross Smith 6-0 Michael van Gerwen
- Wessel Nijman 6-5 Martin Schindler
- Jonny Clayton 6-3 Mike De Decker
- Gary Anderson 6-5 Darryl Pilgrim
- Luke Humphries 6-5 Cameron Menzies
- Josh Rock 6-3 Dirk van Duijvenbode
- Danny Noppert 6-2 Niels Zonneveld
Quarter-Finals
- Ross Smith 6-4 Ryan Meikle
- Wessel Nijman 6-0 Jonny Clayton
- Gary Anderson 6-5 Luke Humphries
- Josh Rock 6-2 Danny Noppert
Semi-Finals
- Ross Smith 7-3 Wessel Nijman
- Josh Rock 7-4 Gary Anderson
Final
- Ross Smith 8-7 Josh Rock
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