Clayton storms to Players Championship victory as Smith hits nine-darter

Jonny Clayton stormed to the seventh Players Championship title of his career with a blistering set of performances in the Netherlands as Ross Smith hit a nine-dart finish.

Clayton, who recorded six tons-plus averages across his seven matches in Rosmalen, breezed past German player Dominik Gruellich 8-2 in the Event 14 final to deny his opponent a maiden PDC title weeks after he had landed his first Development Tour trophy

The Ferret earlier thumped Michael van Gerwen 6-1 in the last-16, swept James Wade 6-0 in the quarter-finals and then reeled off six legs in a row from 3-1 to defeat Danny Noppert 7-3 in the semis on a day on which he lost only 11 legs in total and averaged 103.59.

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Gruellich pipped Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-5 in a final-leg shootout in the last eight before getting the better of former world champion Michael Smith 7-4 in the semis but was then steamrolled by Clayton as the Welshman secured his first title of 2025.

'If I can bring this form consistently, I am dangerous'

World No 5 Clayton said after beating Gruellich with an average of 109.68: "Today was a good day for me. I loved every second of it. If I can bring this form consistently, I am dangerous.

"I am getting used to the darts I changed straight after Christmas and like them. I know I can score, I know I can play, so hopefully it carries on for the rest of the year."

England's Ross Smith produced a perfect leg in his second-round meeting with France's Thibault Tricole.

Van Gerwen, meanwhile, improved on four successive first-round defeats in Players Championship events before he was demolished by Clayton, with the Dutchman now hoping to impress in Rotterdam on Thursday when Premier League Darts hits the city for Night 11.

Players Championship 14 - final-stage results

Final

• Jonny Clayton 8-2 Dominik Gruellich

Semi-finals

• Dominik Gruellich 7-4 Michael Smith
• Jonny Clayton 7-3 Danny Noppert

Quarter-finals

• Michael Smith 6-2 Ricardo Pietreczko
• James Wade 6-0 Jonny Clayton
• Dominik Gruellich 6-5 Dirk van Duijvenbode
• Danny Noppert 6-1 Mickey Mansell

Last- 16

• Dominik Gruellich 6-4 Maik Kuivenhoven
• Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-4 Chris Dobey
• Michael Smith 6-2 Darren Beveridge
• Ricardo Pietreczko 6-5 Gerwyn Price
• Danny Noppert 6-2 Jimmy van Schie
• Mickey Mansell 6-5 Andreas Harrysson
• James Wade 6-5 Martin Schindler
• Jonny Clayton 6-1 Michael van Gerwen

Premier League Darts from 6pm Thursday

Night 11 of Premier League Darts on Thursday takes place in Rotterdam, so coverage begins at the earlier time of 6pm, live on Sky Sports+ and Sky Sports Main Event, with quarter-finals including table topper and reigning champion Luke Littler up against Rob Cross and Michael van Gerwen versus Stephen Bunting.

Full quarter-final line-up for Night 11

• Chris Dobey vs Luke Humphries
• Gerwyn Price vs Nathan Aspinall
• Stephen Bunting vs Michael van Gerwen
• Luke Littler vs Rob Cross

Sky Sports is the home of the Premier League, with every night exclusively live along with the World Matchplay, World Grand Prix, Grand Slam of Darts and more! Stream without a contract on NOW.