Darts: German darts history: Martin Schindler wins the Swiss Darts Trophy 2024

In contrast to the prescribed matches, Martin Schindler even won the bullseye throw in the run-up to the final and started the game with his own throw. Apparently not the best omen, as Ryan Searle secured the 1-0 lead with a break.

Ryan Searle, who alongside Schindler has probably had the most consistent European Tour season with eight quarter-finals, smashed the first 180 into the board in leg two. Heavy Metal followed the maximum a little later with a 124 finish, giving the Englishman a 2-0 lead. In the third leg, Searle finished again after 12 darts. Schindler missed a chance on double 20 – Searle immediately took advantage of this mistake and moved ahead 3-0.

Martin Schindler had a big problem early in the match: Searle increasingly found his irresistible scoring strength. Heavy Metal drummed again with three 140 scores at the start of the fourth leg, got to 81 after 9 darts and checked after 12 darts to make it 4-0. What a start to the first European Tour final of his career!

In the fifth leg, from a German perspective, the time had finally come: Searle made a rare mistake on the outer ring, giving Schindler a chance at double 20 and reducing the score to 1-4. In a hard-fought sixth leg, Searle held his nerve as he was forced to control double five. The Englishman converted the second dart and increased his lead to 1-5.

From the German perspective, there was already a risk of a preliminary decision in the next leg. Ryan Searle waited at 59 points while Schindler was forced to checkout at 142. 160 against van Barneveld, 140 against Rock… did the German still have an ass up his sleeve? The answer was: yes! With two hits in the triple 20 and a final dart in the double 11, The Wall reduced the lead to 2-5.

Just one leg later, Schindler would have needed the Big Fish to break his opponents. But with the sport’s highest finish proving too big a task for the German at that moment, Searle checked 45 points and moved to 2-6 in 18 darts. In the ninth leg, Heavy Metal gave his opponent an invitation when he missed three darts on tops. As in the previous rounds, Schindler now had to function on double 20: With 80 points remaining, The Wall had a chance at tops – and took advantage of it! Schindler reduced the score again to 6-3.

But Searle didn’t let up: again the Englishman had a finish after 9 darts, but let Schindler back on the board. The German checked 86 points in an ice-cold manner and pulled ahead of his opponents on two legs. In his own opening leg, Schindler came under pressure again when he had to concede 122 points as Searle waited with 93 points remaining. Schindler missed a chance for Bull when Searle promptly took advantage in two darts to take a 7-4 lead.

Now Heavy Metal was just one leg away from his first European Tour title. With a 180 shot, the Englishman played his way deep into the finish area, but then missed three championship darts. Schindler once again showed strong nerves on double 10 and reduced his deficit to 2 legs (7-5). In his subsequent throwing leg, Schindler made life difficult for himself with a few scoring errors. Nevertheless, Schindler took his chance on double 20 under maximum pressure and made it 7-6.

For the last time in this party, Searle threw a leg and started the 14th round of the party very strongly with scores of 140 and 97. After just 9 darts, Heavy Metal had reached the finish area. Again Searle missed a match dart on Tops, but Schindler couldn’t clear 164 points, so there were more chances for the Englishman. Searle was 20 points away from his first TV title, but the Englishman missed all those chances. And then Martin Schindler showed why he is on his way to becoming the absolute best in the world. With 100 remaining, he converted a dart into triple 20 and a dart into double 20 to level at 7-7 with a 100 checkout. What an incredible finale!

And Schindler continued to demonstrate his class. With a 180, Schindler took control of the decider from a 140 and was in the finish after 9 darts. After 12 darts, Schindler showed himself 32 points remaining and converted the third dart in the outer ring. Martin Schindler is the first German PDC player to ever win two titles on the European Tour!

By Nic Gayer