Wessel Nijman clinched the second senior PDC ranking title of his career with a comprehensive 8-3 success against Damon Heta in Thursday's Players Championship 30 final.
Nijman stormed to victory in stunning style at Leicester's Mattioli Arena, averaging north of 103 and missing double 12 for a nine-darter during a dominant display against the Australian number one.
Almost a year to the day since his maiden ProTour crown, Nijman delivered a series of classy performances to claim the £15,000 top prize and double his Players Championship title tally.
The Dutchman kicked off proceedings with a 103 average in his opening round win over Tom Bissell, before following up victory over Marvin van Velzen with a six-leg blitz of Andy Baetens.
After overturning a 3-1 deficit against Cameron Menzies in the last 16, Nijman then swept aside Chris Dobey and Ryan Searle to set up a clash with Heta in Thursday’s showpiece.
The pair could not be separated after six legs, before Nijman produced a five-leg flurry to take the title, registering 14, 15, 14, 11 and 14-dart legs to cap off a memorable triumph.
The 25-year-old also came agonisingly close to landing a nine-dart finish in a high-quality final, missing double 12 for perfection in the penultimate leg of the contest.
“I felt like this [win] was coming. I've been playing really well over the last three days,” insisted Nijman, a semi-finalist at Players Championship 29 on Wednesday.
“It would have been nice to hit the nine-darter, but I was more worried about winning this final, and I’m so happy I did.”
“It’s a dream to play in these major tournaments like the World Matchplay, World Grand Prix and European Championship,” Nijman continued.
“This is what we work all year for. We will have to see what next week brings, but I will try and approach it like any other tournament.”
Heta also warmed up for next week’s double-start event with a strong showing in Leicester, conceding just eight legs in wins over Lukas Wenig, Thibault Tricole, Cam Crabtree and Jeffrey de Graaf.
The former World Cup champion continued his charge with a 6-3 win against Rob Owen in the last eight, before surviving six match darts to topple Wesley Plaisier in a dramatic semi-final showdown.
Plaisier surrendered just five legs in racing through to the quarter-finals, where he won through a deciding-leg affair against former World Youth Champion Bradley Brooks.
Tuesday’s Players Championship 28 winner Searle completed the semi-final line-up, only to fall short in his bid for a second ranking title in the space of three days.
Brooks, meanwhile, dispatched world number one Luke Humphries and World Grand Prix champion Mike De Decker to maintain his terrific ProTour form.
The Blackburn-born star – also a Players Championship winner in July - was joined in the last eight by Welsh star Owen, world number eight Chris Dobey and Grand Slam semi-finalist Mickey Mansell.
Humphries, Jonny Clayton and Gary Anderson were amongst the high-profile casualties in round three, with top seed Josh Rock and Wednesday’s winner Ross Smith losing their opening round ties.
Following this week's treble-header, the PDC ProTour season continues with Players Championships 31-32 in Wigan on October 14-15, as the race for Players Championship Finals qualification intensifies.
Luke Littler, Nathan Aspinall and Michael van Gerwen are amongst the names currently outside of the provisional qualification places for November's Minehead event, with four events remaining ahead of the cut-off.
Players Championship 30 results
Last 16
- Chris Dobey 6-0 Max Hopp
- Wessel Nijman 6-4 Cameron Menzies
- Ryan Searle 6-5 Andrew Gilding
- Mickey Mansell 6-2 Ryan Joyce
- Rob Owen 6-2 Luke Woodhouse
- Damon Heta 6-3 Jeffrey de Graaf
- Bradley Brooks 6-1 Mike De Decker
- Wesley Plaisier 6-1 Niels Zonneveld
Quarter-Finals
- Wessel Nijman 6-2 Chris Dobey
- Ryan Searle 6-3 Mickey Mansell
- Damon Heta 6-3 Rob Owen
- Wesley Plaisier 6-5 Bradley Brooks
Semi-Finals
- Wessel Nijman 7-2 Ryan Searle
- Damon Heta 7-6 Wesley Plaisier
Final
- Wessel Nijman 8-3 Damon Heta
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