Karel Sedlacek has made history, becoming the first Czech player ever to win a PDC ranking darts title. In a nail-biting Players Championship 30 final in Den Bosch, Sedlacek defeated Scott Williams 8-7, showcasing incredible resilience and coming back from the brink. This landmark victory marks a dream come true for the 47-year-old, while Scott Williams, despite his phenomenal performance, secured crucial ranking points for his World Championship hopes.
A Historic Triumph for Karel Sedlacek
Karel Sedlacek, often known as “The Great”, etched his name into the darts history books on Wednesday night. At 47 years old, he became the very first Czech player to claim a PDC ranking title, securing a thrilling 8-7 victory over England’s Scott Williams in the Players Championship 30 final in Den Bosch, Netherlands.
His journey to the final was marked by incredible form and remarkable composure. Earlier in the day, Sedlacek was almost unstoppable:
- He dropped just two legs in dominant wins against Tavis Dudeney, Daniel Klose, and Damon Heta, even achieving a near-106 average against Australia’s number one.
- A 6-3 victory followed against former World Matchplay champion Nathan Aspinall.
- In a dramatic quarter-final, Sedlacek staged a stunning comeback, recovering from 3-0 and 4-1 down to defeat Chris Dobey.
- He then booked his place in his maiden PDC ranking final with a clinical 7-2 success against Niels Zonneveld.
The Nail-Biting Final Showdown
The final against Scott Williams was a true spectacle of darts, keeping fans on the edge of their seats until the very last dart. Williams, known for his relentless scoring, quickly established a 4-2 lead.
However, Sedlacek responded with a masterclass in finishing, landing successive checkouts of 123, 80, and a magnificent 164 to swing the momentum and edge 5-4 in front.
The tension peaked as Sedlacek then missed five crucial darts to seal an 8-5 victory. In a dramatic twist, Williams also squandered a match-winning opportunity, missing a 112 checkout. Ultimately, Sedlacek held his nerve in the incredible finale, claiming the title in a breathless last-leg shootout.
“It Still Sounds Like a Dream”: Sedlacek’s Emotional Reaction
A visibly emotional Sedlacek struggled to contain his joy after the match, reflecting on a decade-long wait for this moment:
“For me it’s a really special time. I have been waiting for this for more than ten years and now it’s a reality. It’s crazy. I missed five match darts and thought what could I do more. I went step-by-step and I said ‘you can do it!’ It still sounds like a dream. I’m really happy… It means everything. I have played more than 30 years, and now I’ve done it. I don’t know what to say. For me, I think that’s the top moment of my career.”
He also highlighted the growing popularity of darts in his home country: “Darts is growing in Czech Republic day by day. There are more and more players and good players. I think this is one of the best points of my career.”
Scott Williams: A Valiant Runner-Up
Despite falling at the final hurdle, Scott Williams was magnificent throughout the day. The 36-year-old averaged an impressive 99.36 across his seven matches and crashed in an astonishing 33 maximums (180s). His runner-up cheque of £10,000 significantly boosted his hopes for World Championship qualification, especially having arrived in Den Bosch £6,000 adrift of the provisional cut-off.
Williams’ path to the final included notable victories over:
- Mensur Suljovic
- Danny Noppert
- A monster 110.41 average against Richard Veenstra
- A 103 average against Tommy Lishman
- Impressive wins over Dutch stars Michael van Gerwen and Jermaine Wattimena
Other Standout Performances
The Players Championship 30 also saw several other players deliver strong performances:
- Jermaine Wattimena reached the semi-finals, showcasing high averages and winning crucial deciding-leg matches against Martin Schindler and Steve Lennon.
- Niels Zonneveld also made it to his first Players Championship semi-final of 2026, posting a 106.47 average early on and defeating Sebastian Bialecki, Luke Woodhouse, and Raymond van Barneveld.
- Dutch legends Raymond van Barneveld and Michael van Gerwen both featured in the last eight. Van Barneveld secured four successive 6-2 wins to reach his first ranking quarter-final of the season, moving into provisional World Championship qualification spots. Van Gerwen avenged an earlier defeat and averaged 107.47 in a thrilling all-Dutch battle.
- Steve Lennon and Chris Dobey completed the quarter-final line-up.
Looking Ahead
The year’s penultimate Players Championship double-header will return to Den Bosch on October 28-29 for events 31 and 32, promising more thrilling darts action.
Source: Based on an article from Darts World Magazine.
