Stephen Bunting captured his fourth title of 2025 with a commanding 8-5 victory over Jermaine Wattimena at Players Championship 18 in Leicester.

‘The Bullet’ was in sensational form throughout the tournament, averaging over 100 in six matches, as he added to his World Series titles in Bahrain and Copenhagen and a European Tour triumph in April.

Bunting began with a 6-2 win over William Borland, followed by 6-3 victories against Ian White and Ritchie Edhouse. His standout performance came with a 106.43 average against Alan Soutar in the last 16.

In the quarter-finals, Bunting overcame a 5-4 deficit to defeat Czechia star Karel Sedlacek before edging past top seed Dave Chisnall in a tense semi-final, sealing the win with a brilliant 12-dart leg.

The final saw Wattimena take an early lead, but Bunting responded with a five-leg burst, including 164 and 156 checkouts, to go 5-1 up. Wattimena rallied to close the gap to 6-5, but Bunting sealed the title with a superb 11-darter.

Reflecting on his win, Bunting expressed pride in his consistency and resilience, noting his improved form after losing six finals in 2024. He credited his Premier League experience and recent wins for boosting his confidence.

Wattimena, despite falling short of his first ranking title, impressed with a strong run that puts him in contention for next month’s World Matchplay. He began with a 105 average against Darryl Pilgrim and defeated Carl Sneyd and Josh Rock to reach the last 16.

His narrow win over Rock sparked a series of deciding-leg victories against Ryan Searle, Mike De Decker, and Niels Zonneveld, earning him the £10,000 runner-up prize. Zonneveld also had a notable run, beating Martin Schindler and James Wade to reach the semi-finals.

Dave Chisnall bounced back from an early exit on Tuesday to reach the semi-finals, defeating Martin Lukeman, Mervyn King, and Cam Crabtree. Crabtree enjoyed his best run since July 2024, making the quarter-finals alongside Sedlacek, De Decker, and Benjamin Reus.

Other standout performances came from Ross Smith and Danny Noppert, who posted averages of 111 and 110 respectively. Ryan Searle hit two 108 averages before falling to Wattimena, while big names like Gerwyn Price, Gary Anderson, and Dirk van Duijvenbode suffered early exits.

2025 Players Championship 18 results

Last 16
Dave Chisnall 6-2 Mervyn King
Cam Crabtree 6-3 Callan Rydz
Stephen Bunting 6-4 Alan Soutar
Karel Sedlacek 6-2 Damon Heta
Niels Zonneveld 6-1 James Wade
Benjamin Reus 6-4 Jonny Clayton
Mike De Decker 6-0 Ross Smith
Jermaine Wattimena 6-5 Ryan Searle

Quarter-Finals
Dave Chisnall 6-4 Cam Crabtree
Stephen Bunting 6-5 Karel Sedlacek
Niels Zonneveld 6-5 Benjamin Reus
Jermaine Wattimena 6-5 Mike De Decker

Semi-Finals
Stephen Bunting 7-6 Dave Chisnall
Jermaine Wattimena 7-6 Niels Zonneveld

Final
Stephen Bunting 8-5 Jermaine Wattimena

What’s the next darts event on Sky Sports?

The highlight of the darting summer will see the Betfred World Matchplay held from July 19-27 at the Winter Gardens, as Luke Humphries bids to retain the coveted Phil Taylor Trophy, with world champion Luke Littler and three-time winner Michael van Gerwen also set to headline the £800,000 event across nine days.

Sunday July 27 will also feature the fourth staging of the Betfred Women’s World Matchplay, featuring eight players competing across one session – with Beau Greaves having won the 2023 and 2024 events.

Sky Sports will once again be the home of the World Cup of Darts, World Matchplay, World Grand Prix, Grand Slam of Darts and more! Stream darts and more top sport with NOW