The Zenith in Munich opened its doors throughout the entire Easter weekend, welcoming 20,000 fans who ensured every session was completely sold out. In the end, it was Nathan Aspinall who stood alone at the top of the “Easter mountain.” The Englishman secured his fourth European Tour title at the ELTEN Safety Shoes German Darts Grand Prix. In the final, he defeated Danny Noppert 8-5, leaving the Dutchman to walk off the stage as the runner-up for the fourth time in four European Tour final appearances.
For Nathan Aspinall, Munich was the latest success in an impressive streak. Following his wins at the European Darts Trophy, the European Darts Open, and the German Darts Championship last year, “The Asp” added to his tally at Munich’s Zenith. Once again, Germany served as the stage for his triumph.
“This week, I found my fighting spirit again. My God! Munich, you have given me back my love for the game of darts. You were simply amazing. I’m truly having fun with darts again,” the Englishman said, expressing his gratitude for the support from the Munich crowd.
For his opponent Danny Noppert, the bitter chapter of European Tour finals remains unresolved. Having already lost finals at the Austrian Darts Open and the Dutch Darts Championship in 2022, as well as the Hungarian Darts Trophy in 2025, Munich marked his fourth defeat in as many finals.
Doets Equals Record
One of the weekend’s undisputed surprises was Kevin Doets. The Dutchman won his matches in the second round, the last 16, and the quarter-finals all in deciding legs. He achieved something historic in the last 16: by hitting ten 180s, he equaled the European Tour record for the most maximums in a single match. His run was eventually halted in the semi-finals by the eventual tournament winner, Aspinall.
Niels Zonneveld also made another quarter-final appearance. After making a name for himself in Göttingen and Wieze, the Dutchman had never previously lost a quarter-final on the European Tour – until this Easter Monday. Zonneveld’s run ended at the hands of his childhood friend, Kevin Doets.
Wade Celebrates Major Milestone
The ELTEN Safety Shoes German Darts Grand Prix marked a very special moment for James Wade: it was the 100th European Tour tournament of his career. “The Machine” has been a mainstay of the series since the very first event in 2012. However, the milestone was not marked by on-stage success; the Englishman also fell victim to the inform Kevin Doets.
German Players Show Fighting Spirit
It wasn’t just the international stars making headlines over the Easter weekend; the German participants also gave the home crowd plenty to talk about. Niko Springer and Martin Schindler were the best-performing representatives of the host nation, both reaching the last 16.
Springer wrote a particularly special Easter story by defeating none other than Michael van Gerwen in his match on Sunday. The four-time record champion and defending title holder was knocked out in his first game of the tournament. He was joined on the sidelines by last year’s finalist Gian van Veen, who lost to William O’Connor.
Hausotter Shocks Barneveld
The most emotional moment of Saturday was provided by Marcel Hausotter. The Host Nation Qualifier sent the Zenith into ecstasy by defeating five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld. However, his “Easter fairytale” came to an end in the second round in a deciding leg against Jonny Clayton.
The European Tour Continues
Following this memorable Easter weekend in Munich, the Winamax PDC European Tour now sets its sights on Sindelfingen. From April 17 to 19, the sport’s top stars will return to the oche for the ELTEN Safety Shoes European Darts Grand Prix.
