In a stunning display of skill and nerve, Jimmy van Schie has made history by winning the Oranjebar Top Players Competition for the first time in his career. He triumphed over PDC star Jermaine Wattimena in a nail-biting final, marking a significant milestone in his darts journey. This article dives into the thrilling knockout stages, unexpected upsets, and the relentless performances that led to Van Schie’s dramatic victory.
The Road to Glory: Tournament Format Explained
The Oranjebar Top Players Competition’s final night traditionally unfolded in two main phases, designed to test the resilience of every competitor:
- First Stage Knockout: In this initial phase, players who topped their groups from the preliminary rounds were pitted against randomly selected second-place finishers from other groups. The winners of these matches advanced to a ‘winners’ pot, while the losers moved to a ‘losers’ pot.
- Final Stage Knockout: A redraw then took place from these two pots, forming the main knockout bracket. For players in this stage, any loss meant immediate elimination from the competition.
Early Drama and Unexpected Exits
The “First Stage Knockout” immediately set the tone for a night of intense darts, delivering several surprising results:
- Willem Mandigers, a prominent name, suffered an early defeat, losing 6-5 to Marc Vleghert.
- Nigel van Milligen also faced an early exit, falling 6-3 to Dennis van Bergen.
- Close calls saw Dennis van der Steen, Pim van Bijnen, and Davy van der Zande all lose in deciding legs to Levy Frauenfelder, Gino Vos, and Danny van Klompenburg, respectively.
Meanwhile, tournament favorites like Jimmy van Schie, Wesley Plaisier, and Jermaine Wattimena navigated their initial matches with relative ease, securing their spots in the ‘winners’ pot and avoiding an early clash with each other in the redraw for the Final Stage Knockout.
Into the Main Bracket: The Last 32 and Last 16
As the tournament progressed into the main “Final Stage Knockout” bracket, the competition intensified:
- Further upsets occurred early in the Last 32, as Gino Vos, Marc Vleghert, Danny van Trijp, and Danny van Klompenburg were all eliminated.
- The Last 16 witnessed several thrilling encounters:
- Levy Frauenfelder narrowly defeated Javanico Jansen in a deciding leg.
- Wesley van Trijp staged a remarkable comeback, including a crucial 119-finish, to beat Rohan Brouwers 6-5 after being 4-1 down.
- The top contenders, including Van Trijp, Wattimena, and Plaisier, demonstrated their dominance, each securing comfortable 6-1 victories.
Quarter-Final Showdowns
The quarter-finals brought fewer surprises, with the favorites largely holding their ground:
- Wesley Plaisier delivered a commanding performance, averaging 97 in a dominant 6-1 win over Nigel van Milligen.
- Jimmy van Schie showed his class, defeating Wesley van Trijp 6-3, boosted by two finishes over 100.
- Jermaine Wattimena secured an early break in his match against Michael van de Ven and maintained his advantage throughout, winning 6-4.
- In a dramatic final quarter-final, Levy Frauenfelder edged out Pedro van Bergen 6-5 with a superb 82-finish in the deciding leg.
Quarter-Final Results:
- Levy Frauenfelder 6-5 Pedro van Bergen
- Jermaine Wattimena 6-4 Michael van de Ven
- Jimmy van Schie 6-3 Wesley van Trijp
- Wesley Plaisier 6-1 Nigel van Milligen
Semi-Final Thrillers
The semi-finals delivered high-stakes drama:
- Wattimena vs. Frauenfelder: Levy Frauenfelder started strong, taking a 3-1 lead. However, PDC Tour Card holder Jermaine Wattimena then seized control, winning four consecutive legs with a 106-finish and a 14-darter to lead 5-3. Although Frauenfelder pulled one back with a 17-darter, Wattimena responded with another 17-darter to secure his spot in the final with a 6-4 victory.
- Van Schie vs. Plaisier: The second semi-final was an absolute classic between Van Schie and the defending champion, Wesley Plaisier. Van Schie built a 5-3 lead, only for Plaisier to mount a incredible comeback with a 12-darter and an 18-darter, leveling the score at 5-5. However, Van Schie held his nerve in the deciding leg, finishing with a 15-darter to become the second finalist.
Semi-Final Results:
- Jermaine Wattimena 6-4 Levy Frauenfelder
- Jimmy van Schie 6-5 Wesley Plaisier
The Grand Final: Van Schie vs. Wattimena
The final began with Jermaine Wattimena taking an early lead. After Van Schie won the opening leg, Wattimena powered through three consecutive legs, including finishes of 61 and 62, to establish control. The next three legs went with the darts, maintaining Wattimena’s advantage.
However, the turning point came in the eighth leg. Wattimena agonizingly missed six darts at a double, a lapse that Jimmy van Schie ruthlessly capitalized on. Van Schie broke back with an 18-darter, then held his own throw to level the match at 5-4.
Wattimena responded with a superb 15-darter to force a deciding leg. In the ultimate test of nerve, Wattimena missed a shot at 120, giving Van Schie his chance. Cool as ice, Van Schie flawlessly checked out 56, sealing his first-ever Oranjebar Top Players Competition title in a truly memorable finale.
Tournament Highlights:
- Most 180s: Jermaine Wattimena (14)
- Highest Finish: Jermaine Wattimena (164)
Source: Based on an article from Darts Actueel.
