Wessel Nijman has declared that his big-stage breakthrough is inevitable after clinching his first floor title of 2026 with a dramatic 8-7 victory over Gerwyn Price in the Players Championship 2 final in Wigan. The Dutchman, who also won two Players Championship titles in 2025, expressed pure satisfaction post-match, highlighting his accelerating development and resilience under pressure.
The final was a high-quality showdown, with Price entering in red-hot form after thrashing Michael van Gerwen 6-0 earlier in the day—a match Nijman described as "phenomenal." Nijman noted he was aware of Price's performance via WhatsApp group chats but remained undaunted, saying, "I'm really happy I gave him a game and I was the winner in the end." The match swung back and forth, featuring a pivotal moment in the eleventh leg when Price hit a superb 121 checkout to break, but Nijman held his nerve, crediting his composure: "I'm really happy I took my leg until then, and then I took my own leg when we were 7-7."
Nijman reflected on his performance, stating, "I'm really happy with the way I played today," and emphasized his ability to dig deep in crucial moments. His ambitions are rising steadily; after initially aiming to keep his Tour Card and reach the top 64, he has reset goals to the top 32 and now targets the top 16, noting he is close to the top 24. Looking ahead, Nijman is confident his floor success will translate to televised majors, asserting, "You cannot be playing like this on the floor and things will not happen on big stages. So I'm not really worried about not performing on big stages. I think it's just a matter of time." The Players Championship action continues in Wigan next week, with Nijman's win marking a significant early marker for 2026.
