Niko Springer battled to a narrow 6-5 victory over compatriot Jan Schmidt in a last-leg decider at the German Darts Grand Prix 2026 on Saturday evening at Zenith Munich, securing his place in the second round where he will face Michael van Gerwen. Despite the win, the 25-year-old German was typically self-critical in an exclusive interview with DartsNews (YouTube), stating, "I didn't think I played that well—not at all. I'm just happy that I won, and I know I can do a lot more."
Springer's current season has shown solid early form, with two last-16 runs on the Pro Tour and a quarterfinal on the European Tour. He assessed his trajectory positively, noting, "I would say the results are much better than last year. The statistics aren't that good, but in the end, what counts are the results. That gives me a good feeling. I know I can do a lot more, but at the moment everything feels right and I'm heading in the right direction."
The German candidly addressed the lingering impact of his surprise first-round exit at the 2026 World Darts Championship, saying, "The World Championship was extremely frustrating. Things didn't go well leading into it either. It was very difficult after that." Instead of making wholesale changes to his setup, such as flights or barrels, Springer focused on rediscovering his strengths, explaining, "I always tried to believe in myself—my ambitions and my performances. It wasn't easy, but I kept trusting what I had shown before."
This return to basics has been a crucial step toward greater stability for Springer, who added, "It's about me, and working on myself. I think I'm on the right path right now. It's a bit shaky at the moment, but I believe it will get better over time." The narrow win in Munich could prove an important building block in that process, with the upcoming clash against van Gerwen serving as a major test to confirm his positive trend on the European Tour.
