Darts Apr 18, 2026

Players Championship: Ryan Searle seals eighth PDC ranking title while James Wade becomes first player to reach 1000 wins

👤
By Admin
Sports Journalist
Players Championship: Ryan Searle seals eighth PDC ranking title while James Wade becomes first player to reach 1000 wins

Ryan Searle claimed his eighth PDC ranking title thanks to an 8-3 win over Alan Soutar in the Players Championship Seven final.

Searle averaged 95.65 in the final to take the top prize, as he won a Players Championship title for the seventh year in a row.

He began the day firing a 104 average to dispatch of Raymond van Barneveld before ending youngster Charlie Manby's run with a 6-3 win.

A 7-3 win over Gary Anderson in the semi-finals saw Searle set up a final meeting with Soutar, where he dominated to take the title.

"I played really solid today," Searle told the PDC. "Average-wise my best was against Raymond, and feeling-wise it felt like the worst which was a little bit odd.

"February and March time is normally my time of year when I win things, and if I can win one or two more to break new ground this year, I will do that.

"I've had a bit more attention this year so far," continued Searle, who enjoyed an excellent run to the 2025/26 World Championship semi-finals.

"It's been really good. I've been able to raise awareness for the Cure ADOA Foundation, but motivation wise, I haven't been practising.

"I would like to win a European Tour, that would be the next goal for me; to prove that I can win something on the big stage would be good."

Jonny Clayton, Stephen Bunting and Michael van Gerwen were among the big names in action in Leicester, however all three failed to advance beyond the fourth round.

Meanwhile James Wade made history as the first player to win 1000 matches in Players Championship events after his 6-1 victory over Lukas Wenig in the first round.

Despite the monumental achievement, Wade's night was ended by Spain's Cristo Reyes, who claimed a shock 6-2 win over the Englishman.

"Well that wasn't the ending I wanted today but on a more positive note this did happen," Wade posted on X.

"After winning my first game today I became the first and only player to win 1000 matches in the Players Championships Events.

"What an achievement and I feel really proud of that!"

Tags:

darts news

Share this article

Related Posts

Premier League Darts: Live updates, scores, videos from Night 10 in Brighton with Luke Litter, Gian van Veen, Luke Humphries in action

Premier League Darts: Live updates, scores, videos from Night 10 in Brighton with Luke Litter, Gian van Veen, Luke Humphries in action

Hourihane to leave Barnsley at the end of the seasonBarnsley have confirmed that head coach Conor Hourihane will leave the club at the end of the seas...

Premier League Darts: Gian van Veen cares 'little' about what Luke Littler thinks following Manchester clash

Premier League Darts: Gian van Veen cares 'little' about what Luke Littler thinks following Manchester clash

World Darts Championship finalist Gian van Veen has alleged that he cares 'little' about what Luke Littler thinks of him following their tense exchang...

Premier League Darts: Gerwyn Price shows class for victory in Manchester as Gian van Veen and Luke Littler involved in feisty confrontation

Premier League Darts: Gerwyn Price shows class for victory in Manchester as Gian van Veen and Luke Littler involved in feisty confrontation

Gerwyn Price put in a world-class display to secure a 6-2 victory over Gian van Veen to win Night Nine of the Premier League Darts at the AO Arena in...

German Darts Grand Prix 2026 results as Nathan Aspinall is crowned champion of PDC European Tour event

German Darts Grand Prix 2026 results as Nathan Aspinall is crowned champion of PDC European Tour event

Nathan Aspinall clinched his fourth European Tour title with an 8-5 victory over Danny Noppert in the German Darts Prix final on Monday.Michael van Ge...

Transgender women darts players no longer able to compete in women's tournaments after Darts Regulation Authority ruling

Transgender women darts players no longer able to compete in women's tournaments after Darts Regulation Authority ruling

The Darts Regulation Authority (DRA) has announced only players assigned female at birth will be eligible to compete in women's tournaments.Following...

Premier League Darts: Luke Littler and Gian van Veen could meet as Luke Humphries bids to kickstart title defence in Brighton

Premier League Darts: Luke Littler and Gian van Veen could meet as Luke Humphries bids to kickstart title defence in Brighton

World No 1 Luke Littler and rival Gian van Veen could be set for a swift reunion in Brighton following their heated spat which boiled over last Thursd...