Krzysztof Ratajski picked up the last ProTour title of 2021, defeating Joe Cullen in the final of Players Championship 30. The runner-up nonetheless sealed a Grand Slam spot. The conclusion of Thursday’s tournament also saw the field confirmed for the 2021 Players Championship Finals.
Last Updated: 04/11/21 7:16pm
Krzysztof Ratajski ended the 2021 Players Championship series on a high with a superb comeback over Joe Cullen to claim his first title of the year with an 8-7 success in Barnsley.
The Polish number one last tasted victory on the PDC ProTour in February 2020, but saved his best display of the year for the 30th and final Players Championship to scoop the GBP10,000 title.
Cullen had looked on course to win his third Players Championship of 2021 as he took leads of 3-1 and 7-5 during a gripping final.
Ratajski, though, followed up earlier finishes of 139 and 108 by landing double eight to break throw in leg 13 and then taking out 87 to send the final into a deciding leg.
Against the throw, he was crucially first to a finish and checked out 112 in clinical fashion to complete his comeback.
“It was incredible for me, very emotional,” admitted Ratajski afterwards. “I’m really happy with this win, it’s very important for me.
“It’s a long time since I won the last tournament and it’s something incredible for me, really.
“At the start of the season I played good in the stage tournaments but in the floor tournament’s I wasn’t so good.
“In these last three days I’ve played really brilliant darts and felt really good. It’s a big thing for me.”
? RATAJSKI TAKES THE TITLE! ?
Look at the emotion on display there as Krzysztof Ratajski produces a stunning comeback victory to defeat Joe Cullen in a deciding leg, to clinch Players Championship 30!
Congratulations, Krzysztof! ? pic.twitter.com/Zib3E94RkI
Ratajski had produced some outstanding darts earlier in the day, including a 107.77 average to defeat Simon Whitlock, a 12-darter in the deciding leg against form star Jonny Clayton and a 100 average in his 7-3 semi-final win over Darius Labanauskas.
Cullen, meanwhile, achieved three ton-plus averages during his run to a fourth Players Championship final of the year. The Rockstar’s run to the decider saw him secure a place at this month’s Grand Slam, while Michael Smith also qualified for the major through his Players Championship showings.
Cullen came from 3-0 down to win his semi-final against Michael van Gerwen with a stunning average of 111.28, hitting seven doubles from as many attempts and six 180s in a remarkable comeback.
Van Gerwen had been bidding to claim back-to-back ProTour wins after picking up his first ranking title of 2021 on Wednesday.
The world number three had continued his fine form with three ton-plus averages and defeats of Daryl Gurney and Damon Heta in reaching the semi-finals, only to see Cullen’s super-show end his hopes.
Lithuania’s Labanauskas enjoyed his best run in a Players Championship since May 2019 as he saw off UK Open champion James Wade, Dirk van Duijvenbode and in-form Ryan Searle in five wins to end the ProTour season on a high.
Edgar won through to his first Players Championship quarter-final since February 2019 as he overcame top seed Michael Smith and UK Open finalist Luke Humphries on Thursday.
World Series of Darts Finals champion Jonny Clayton and in-form Dutch ace also reached the last eight alongside Wade and Edgar.
Simon Whitlock’s run to the last 16 was enough to secure him a place in the Ladbrokes Players Championship Finals, which features the top 64 players from the final 2021 Players Championship Order of Merit.
Players Championship 30
Last 16
Matthew Edgar 6-5 Luke Humphries
Michael van Gerwen 6-4 Damon Heta
Joe Cullen 6-4 Callan Rydz
Danny Noppert 6-5 Martin Schindler
James Wade 6-5 Mensur Suljovic
Darius Labanauskas 6-5 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Krzysztof Ratajski 6-2 Simon Whitlock
Jonny Clayton 6-1 Stephen Bunting
Quarter-Finals
Michael van Gerwen 6-3 Matthew Edgar
Joe Cullen 6-3 Danny Noppert
Darius Labanauskas 6-4 James Wade
Krzysztof Ratajski 6-5 Jonny Clayton
Semi-Finals
Joe Cullen 7-4 Michael van Gerwen
Krzysztof Ratajski 7-3 Darius Labanauskas
Final
Krzysztof Ratajski 8-7 Joe Cullen
Players Championship Finals field confirmed
MvG will begin his defence of the Ladbrokes Players Championship Finals title against Kevin Doets, with the 64-player field and draw confirmed for the Minehead event.
The GBP500,000 three-day tournament will return to its traditional Butlin’s Minehead Resort home, having been staged behind closed doors in Coventry in 2020, as the top 64 players from the 2021 Players Championship Order of Merit compete for the title.
Reigning champion Van Gerwen will open his challenge to claim a seventh title in the event when he plays 23-year-old fellow Dutchman Doets on the opening day of the tournament.
World number one Gerwyn Price begins his search for a first Players Championship Finals crown against Jason Lowe, while world number two Peter Wright will face teenage Irish debutant Keane Barry.
Jose de Sousa, a winner of three Players Championship events in 2021, enters the tournament as number one seed and will face South Africa’s Devon Petersen, who claimed the final qualifying place.
2018 champion Daryl Gurney will begin his campaign for a second Minehead title against Scottish debutant Alan Soutar, while 2014 winner Gary Anderson will meet Stephen Bunting.
The schedule of play will be confirmed in due course, with all 64 players set to compete once on the opening day on Friday November 26.
The second and third rounds are staged on Saturday November 27, with the tournament culminating on Sunday November 28 with the quarter-finals in the afternoon and the semi-finals and final in the evening.
2021 Ladbrokes Players Championship Finals: The draw
(1) Jose de Sousa v Devon Petersen (64)
(32) Mervyn King v Darius Labanauskas (33)
(16) Chris Dobey v William O’Connor (49)
(17) Krzysztof Ratajski v Ron Meulenkamp (48)
(8) Gerwyn Price v Jason Lowe (57)
(25) Martin Schindler v Ian White (40)
(9) Brendan Dolan v Chas Barstow (56)
(24) Dave Chisnall v Ritchie Edhouse (41)
(4) Michael Smith v William Borland (61)
(29) Daryl Gurney v Alan Soutar (36)
(13) Callan Rydz v Mensur Suljovic (52)
(20) James Wade v Ricky Evans (45)
(5) Ryan Searle v Simon Whitlock (60)
(28) Ryan Joyce v Luke Woodhouse (37)
(12) Rob Cross v Jermaine Wattimena (53)
(21) Nathan Aspinall v Jeff Smith (44)
(2) Peter Wright v Keane Barry (63)
(31) Adrian Lewis v Kim Huybrechts (34)
(15) Damon Heta v Steve Lennon (50)
(18) Gabriel Clemens v Steve Beaton (47)
(7) Michael van Gerwen v Kevin Doets (58)
(26) Raymond van Barneveld v Maik Kuivenhoven (39)
(10) Dirk van Duijvenbode v Ryan Meikle (55)
(23) Stephen Bunting v Gary Anderson (42)
(3) Jonny Clayton v Alan Tabern (62)
(30) Scott Mitchell v Martijn Kleermaker (35)
(14) Ross Smith v Rusty-Jake Rodriguez (51)
(19) Luke Humphries v Jason Heaver (46)
(6) Joe Cullen v Andy Boulton (59)
(27) Vincent van der Voort v Madars Razma (54)
(22) Danny Noppert v Rowby-John Rodriguez (43)
Darts is back on your Sky Sports screens later this month with all nine days from the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton – coverage gets underway with a bumper double session on Saturday November 13, joins us from 1pm on Sky Sports Arena