Ryan Searle missed seven match darts to claim his first Euro Tour title at the 2024 Swiss Darts Trophy, losing the match 8-7 to Martin Schindler on Sunday evening.
The Swiss Darts Trophy final was a story of two halves.
We’ve already covered Martin Schindler and his remarkable comeback to win the title in Basel, however, it’s arguably more true that Searle LOST the match rather than Schindler winning it…
Read more – Martin Schindler wins Swiss Darts Trophy
Searle has never won a European Tour title before but 2024 has been his best run by an incomparable margin.
He’s made six quarter-finals, a semi-final and now a final but he won’t have ever had a better chance to claim a title than at this year’s Swiss Darts Trophy!
On route to the final, Searle convincingly beat Madars Razma, Daryl Gurney and Callan Rydz losing just 5 of the 24 legs played across the three matches.
He started the final in a similar fashion, hitting an early 124 checkout and cruising to a 4-0 lead against Schindler.
124 FROM SEARLE!
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) September 29, 2024
Ryan Searle is up and running in this final as a 124 puts him 2-0 ahead.
He means business here!
📺 https://t.co/YyBPPwoMK8 | #ET12 pic.twitter.com/jiyswckuBW
Schindler would try to stop the momentum but at 7-4, Searle would get his first throw for the title.
He missed three match darts and this is where you see Searle visibility frustrated, shaking his head at the missed opportunity.
At 7-6, Searle then had four more opportunities to win the game but couldn’t pin the double down and this is where you can clearly see how disappointed Searle is to be missing these chances.
WE GO TO A DECIDING LEG! 🙌
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) September 29, 2024
Incredible comeback from Schindler but Ryan Searle will be kicking himself as he misses more match darts.
Schindler now has the darts for the title…
📺 https://t.co/YyBPPwoMK8 | #ET12 pic.twitter.com/sb8jczf6bh
Eventually losing the game 8-7, Searle arguably won’t get a better opportunity to collect a Euro Tour title and acknowledges that nerves got the better of him…
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Ryan Searle on Missing SEVEN Match Darts
On reflection, Searle admits that he lost his nerve when on the verge of winning his first Euro Tour title.
Speaking to PDC TV after the event, Searle said:
“It’s just one of those things, I bottled it a bit.
“That’s the way darts goes sometimes; for me it’s a case of onto the next one.
“I’ve been in this position before where I’ve thrown games away and I’ve come back stronger, so I’ll be looking to respond in the same way again.”
Searle will have one final opportunity to secure a maiden European Tour title this year at the Czech Darts Open later this month (18th – 20th October) and he’ll be hoping his consistent form on tour this year will be enough to finally claim a win…
You can see full highlights of the Swiss Darts Trophy final session provided by PDC below: