Josh Rock has clinched the final Players Championship of the year, defeating Jonny Clayton 8-7 in a thrilling final in Leicester. This victory marks Rock’s second Players Championship title of the year, and the 23-year-old Northern Irishman was understandably ecstatic afterward, though he also identified areas for improvement in the months ahead.
Rock took an impressive 6-2 lead in the final, but Clayton fought back, pushing the match to a nail-biting last leg. “That was a very, very tough game,” Rock admitted, noting that he managed to prevail despite Clayton’s impressive average of 106.38, while Rock himself averaged 102.
After the match, Rock praised Clayton, acknowledging the challenge he presented. “That’s why Jonny is one of the best players in the world. He just doesn’t go away! He knows how to compete, and he came back brilliantly, but thankfully I hit that 118 checkout!”
With this title, Rock has moved up to fifteenth in the world rankings. Earlier this year, he also won the Dutch Darts Championship on the European Tour. Despite his successes, the young star expressed some dissatisfaction with his performances on television.
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“My TV performances in the last two years have been disappointing, but that will change,” vowed the former World Youth Champion. “I don’t know why it hasn’t been happening on the big stage, because I’m not doing anything differently. I’m not feeling nervous up there, but things will change, and I’m most focused on the World Championship.”
