Aspinall Targets Further Success

News

NATHAN ASPINALL admits that Wednesday's Players Championship victory has given him the taste for further titles.

New Format & Prize Fund For Coral UK Open

Ladbrokes UK Open

THE Coral UK Open will enjoy a huge change in format for 2019 and a prize fund boost to £450,000.

Aspinall Claims Maiden Title

ProTour

NATHAN ASPINALL claimed his first PDC ranking title with a win over Ryan Searle in the final of Players Championship 18.

Clinical Wright Lands PC17 Title

ProTour

PETER WRIGHT claimed his third PDC title of the year at Players Championship 17.

Seven Secure ET11 & ET12 Qualifying Double

European Tour

SEVEN players secured places in both the Dutch Darts Championship & the International Darts Open.

Rodriguez Brothers Seal Maastricht Spots

European Tour

BROTHERS Rowby-John & Rusty-Jake Rodriguez were amongst the eight European Qualifiers for the Dutch Darts Championship.

ET11 & ET12 Entries Confirmed

European Tour

ENTRIES have been confirmed for September's Dutch Darts Championship and International Darts Open.

2018 Players Championship 17-18 Entries

ProTour

ENTRIES have been confirmed for the Players Championship double-header at the Barnsley Metrodome on September 4-5.

ET Qualifying Double For Ratajski

European Tour

KYZYSZTOF RATAJSKI was joined by Karel Sedlacek and Patrik Kovacs in securing places in the year's remaining European Tour events.

2018 European Darts Matchplay Schedule

European Tour

THE draw and schedule of play for the European Darts Matchplay in Hamburg are now available.

Players Championship events are held throughout the year, with prize money won counting towards the ProTour Order of Merit

All Players Championship events will be streamed live for PDCTV-HD Subscribers worldwide with coverage from two boards throughout each event.

GLEN DURRANT landed his second PDC ranking title at Players Championship 15 at The Barnsley Metrodome on Saturday.

The opening day of the ProTour double-header weekend saw Durrant double his haul of PDC crowns since joining the professional circuit in January, following up his Players Championship 4 victory in February.

Three-time Lakeside Champion Durrant secured a remarkable result in the semi-finals, defeating Michael van Gerwen 7-2 in the first meeting between the pair to reach the final where he proved too strong for Darius Labanauskas, running out an 8-1 victor.

Durrant's day started with 6-0 whitewashes over Matthew Edgar and Simon Stevenson, which he followed up with two 6-4 wins over Kyle Anderson and Danny Noppert.

The 48-year-old then defeated Michael Smith 6-4, before convincing victories over Van Gerwen and Labanauskas saw him clinch the £10,000 top prize.

"It feels absolutely fantastic, I can't put into words how happy I am right now," said Durrant, who has secured a provisional place in July's Betfred World Matchplay.

"Last weekend on the Euro Tour was really difficult to me but this weekend has been perfect. I had a fabulous week in practice and I knew I was playing well.

"I was determined to enjoy today but to win another title is pretty special. I joined the PDC for moments like this.

"Before I played Michael [van Gerwen] I asked if I could have his shirt which I immediately regretted as it showed weakness, but he didn't play his best game and I was able to capitalise.

"I've totally exceeded the initial targets I set myself at the start of the year and soon my goals will be changing but I'm not putting too much pressure on myself at the moment."

A one-sided final between world ranked 70 and 91 saw Durrant punish Labanauskas' missed darts at double as he raced into a 3-0 lead, before Labanauskas chalked his first leg on the board to make it 3-1.

However, that was as good as it got for Labanauskas, who made history in becoming the first Lithuanian player to reach a PDC ranking final, as Durrant ruthlessly reeled off five consecutive legs to run out victorious in his third PDC final since joining the circuit.

Despite defeat in the final, Labanauskas also continued his strong first year as a PDC professional with his first appearance in a ranking final.

Labanauskas, who will represent Lithuania in June's BetVictor World Cup of Darts, claimed victories over Gabriel Clemens, Bradley Brooks, Cristo Reyes and Steve Beaton, before saving his best two performances of the day for his quarter-final and semi-final matches.

His last eight meeting with Ryan Meikle saw him pick up a 6-2 success, before a 99.9 average saw Labanauskas get the better of Ron Meulenkamp 7-4 to reach the final.

A high-quality Saturday also saw Dave Chisnall hit a nine-dart finish in his Last 64 clash with Reyes, although the Spanish number one went on to claim a 6-5 victory.

It was also a positive day for four-time Development Tour title winner Meikle, who reached his first senior PDC quarter-final, and for Chris Dobey, who made it through to his second quarter-final of 2019.

Meulenkamp also made it through to his third PDC ranking semi-final, but once again failed to make it past the final four hurdle.

Departing Dutchman Raymond van Barneveld produced a 104.9 average to beat Jamie Hughes 6-5, but went out at the last 32 stage.

Peter Wright, James Wade, Adrian Lewis and Corey Cadby all exited before the Last 32.

Drawboard