Krzysztof Ratajski defeated Jermaine Wattimena 8-6 in a nail-biting final to win the European Darts Open in Leverkusen.
Ratajski raced into a 4-1 lead only for Wattimena to reel off five legs in succession, but the Pole roared from 6-4 down to claim his first title of 2026 and third-ever on the European Tour.
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Having dethroned reigning champion Nathan Aspinall on route to the final, the new world No 20 set his sights on the Betfred World Matchplay, live on Sky Sports from July 18-26.
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"I'm really happy. I don't know what to say," the 2021 Matchplay semi-finalist said. "It was a close game. Jermaine played very well, and I'm really happy that I survived it.
"I didn't expect it. I would have been happy with the last eight or last four, so to win the title is more than I expected.
"I will do my best in Blackpool. I hope I will play well and hopefully I can win that first match. We will see."
Image:
Ratajski came from 6-4 down to defeat Jermain Wattimena[Sebastian Doppstadt/PDC Europe]
The victory ensured Ratajski maintained his flawless record in ProTour finals, and there was achievement in defeat for Wattimena, who reached his first semi-final and final on the circuit.
"I'm very happy with that," the Dutchman said. "It was a magic day.
"I missed some chances, but he missed some chances as well, so I think it's a fair result. He was the better player so well done to Krzysztof."
Image:
Wattimena reached his first semi-final and final on the circuit [Sebastian Doppstadt/PDC Europe]
2026 European Darts Open
Sunday July 12
Afternoon Session Round Three Jermaine Wattimena 6-1 Ryan Joyce Luke Woodhouse 6-5 Jonny Clayton Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-3 Wessel Nijman Damon Heta 6-4 Michael van Gerwen Sebastian Bialecki 6-4 Kevin Doets James Wade 6-2 Jan Schmidt Nathan Aspinall 6-4 Ross Smith Krzysztof Ratajski 6-3 Gian van Veen
Evening Session Quarter-finals Jermaine Wattimena 6-5 Luke Woodhouse Damon Heta 6-2 Dirk van Duijvenbode Sebastian Bialecki 6-2 James Wade Krzysztof Ratajski 6-4 Nathan Aspinall
Semi-finals Jermaine Wattimena 7-3 Damon Heta Krzysztof Ratajski 7-5 Sebastian Bialecki
Final Krzysztof Ratajski 8-6 Jermaine Wattimena
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Watch every nine-darter that has been hit at the World Matchplay
The 2026 Betfred World Matchplay will take place at the iconic Winter Gardens from July 18-26, as a 32-player field competes for the prestigious Phil Taylor Trophy.
World No 1 Luke Littler will be eyeing back-to-back titles in Blackpool, with 2024 champion Luke Humphries and three-time World Matchplay winner Van Gerwen also set to star in the £1m event.
This summer's action will also feature the fifth staging of the Betfred Women's World Matchplay, as eight of the biggest names in the women's game battle it out for the title currently held by Lisa Ashton.
Who will win this year's World Matchplay Darts? Luke Littler will be defending his title and you can watch all the action on Sky Sports. Stream darts and more top sport with NOW.%!s()
Jannik Sinner successfully defended his Wimbledon title with a four-set victory against French Open champion Alexander Zverev on Centre Court.
World No 1 Sinner bounced back after wilting in the Paris heatwave in the second round at Roland-Garros to claim his fifth Grand Slam title with a 10th straight victory over Zverev - 6-7 (7-9) 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 6-4.
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It was also a 100th Grand Slam match win for the Italian, who earned royal approval from the Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince George and Princess Charlotte in the front row of the Royal Box.
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How Sinner defended his Wimbledon title on Sunday 🏆
Latest Wimbledon scores and results 🎾
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The win placed Sinner in rare company as the 10th man in the professional era to successfully defend the title, strengthening his credentials as one of the dominant players of his generation while he chases down big rival Carlos Alcaraz's seven majors.
"It's amazing. To Alex - he got his first Grand Slam in Paris this year, and he was so, so close today," said Sinner after his win. "If he keeps playing like this, I am sure he will have this Wimbledon trophy soon.
"We both started very well, serving very fast. Myself and my team prepared very well. My mum had to leave the stadium a couple of times! It was an amazing final. It takes two players.
"We tried to give everything we have, I'm happy about the win, but I'm also happy about the level we both played at.
"There is no better place to play tennis, honestly.
"I could feel the nerves when I woke up, and this is a very, very special day. I never take it for granted.
"This crowd has given me the most special feeling you can have as a tennis player."
How Sinner broke down Zverev to retain title...
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After losing nine matches in a row and 14 sets against the Italian, Zverev knew he had to do something different and his intention was clear from the start.
His forehand has also been prone to breaking down but he picked up where he left off in his semi-final against Britain's Arthur Fery, stepping into the court and unleashing on the ball.
Sinner had really raised his level in a semi-final demolition of Novak Djokovic but previously had not been timing the ball particularly well, and a shanked forehand cost him the only break point of the opening two sets at 4-3.
Zverev was the better player overall, though, and it was fitting that it was a clean winner off the German's forehand that clinched the first tie-break.
Zverev crouched down with both fists clenched looking towards his support box, roaring in delight.
The contest lacked the contrast of styles that makes clashes between Sinner and the much-missed Carlos Alcaraz so compelling but it was tight and tense, with the serves of both men snuffing out any potential opportunities.
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Zverev, who will overtake Alcaraz to become world No 2 on Monday, seemed to have the edge still until the next tie-break, when Sinner's forehand clicked into gear at just the right moment and suddenly he was the player dictating the rallies.
An understated fist pump towards his team greeted a missed Zverev backhand on set point and the second seed headed off to the bathroom with the momentum of the match abruptly shifted.
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Zverev survives horrible tumble
Image:
Zverev recovered after taking an awkward tumble behind his baseline
Unexpectedly it was Zverev who had the first look in the third set, with Sinner playing a shaky game to cough up a break point at 3-3, but he was fortunate that his opponent slipped behind the baseline.
Zverev initially looked in trouble as he held his right knee but Sinner headed round the net to give him a hand up and play soon continued.
After only two break points in two and three-quarter hours, another arrived in the very next game. Sinner, despite slipping midway through the point, somehow recovered to seize the opportunity, prompting Zverev to hurl his racket angrily to the co
The gusting wind became an increasing factor as the shadows lengthened across Centre Court during the fourth set.
Sinner has only ever lost to Alcaraz in Grand Slam finals and, sensing another opportunity at 3-3, he played a brilliant returning game, clinching his second break with a forehand powered into the corner.
Zverev threw everything at Sinner as he tried to serve it out, the 24-year-old at one point left sprawled on the court after diving for a volley.
But, as he has for most of the last two-and-a-half years, the man from the Italian mountains had the answers, and he lay flat on his back on the turf after powering away a final winner.
Ice cold Sinner
A five-time Grand Slam Champion already
An all-time great at just 24 years old
Sinner has now won 17 of the last 18 sets he’s played against Zverev and 10 consecutive matches against him
14th consecutive win at Wimbledon
100th Grand Slam match win
✅30th title
✅Won 37 of last 38 matches
Sinner vs Zverev: Tale of the Tape
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Zverev, the first men's singles finalist from Germany since Boris Becker in 1995, had been attempting to become the first man in the professional era [since 1968] to win his second Grand Slam at the next event immediately after his first.
"Congratulations to Jannik, he showed once again why he's the best player in the world," said the 6ft 6in German.
"It was great to share Centre Court with you for the final, it's a great honour to be here. Unfortunately it didn't go my way.
"At 29-years-old, this year was the first time I actually believed I could win this Wimbledon trophy.
"It's very special playing at Centre Court. The most unique in the entire world."
Watch the ATP and WTA Tours and US Open from August 30, live on Sky Sports or stream with NOW and the Sky Sports app, giving Sky Sports customers access to over 50 per cent more live sport this year at no extra cost. Find out more here.%!s()
Take a closer look at the key dates for the 2026 golf season, including the majors, PGA Tour Signature Events, Solheim Cup and more...
Rory McIlroy completed the career Grand Slam with his play-off victory at The Masters last year and began this year's majors campaign by retaining the title at Augusta National.
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Scottie Scheffler had the opportunity to defend his PGA Championship title and register a fifth major win in as many seasons, only for England's Aaron Rai to become the newest first-time major champion after a brilliant three-shot victory over Jon Rahm at Aronimink Golf Club.
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Aaron Rai shot a five-under 65 to win the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club, his maiden major title
Scheffler won two majors in 2025 and looked to also complete the career Grand Slam at the US Open, where the final round coincided with his 30th birthday, but the world No 1 ended tied-fourth as Wyndham Clark claimed a wire-to-wire win at Shinnecock Hills and a second major in four years.
The Open heads back to Royal Birkdale in July, where Jordan Spieth won when it was last held there in 2017, with Scheffler looking to retain the Claret Jug after last year's impressive victory at Royal Portrush.
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Highlights from the final round of The Open from Royal Portrush, where Scottie Scheffler closed out victory
Men's majors
April 9-12 - The Masters - Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia [Winner: Rory McIlroy]
May 14-17 - PGA Championship - Aronimink GC, Newton Square, Pennsylvania [Winner: Aaron Rai]
June 18-21 - US Open - Shinnecock Hills GC, Southampton, New York [Winner: Wyndham Clark]
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Highlights from the final round of the 2025 US Open, as JJ Spaun snatched a maiden major title in dramatic fashion!
July 16-19 - The Open - Royal Birkdale GC, Southport, England [2025 champion: Scottie Scheffler]
Women's majors
April 23-26 - The Chevron Championship - Memorial Park Golf Course, Houston, Texas [Winner: Nelly Korda]
June 4-7 - US Women's Open presented by Ally - Riviera Country Club, Pacific Palisades, California [Winner: Nelly Korda]
June 25-28 - KPMG Women's PGA Championship - Hazeltine National Golf Club, Chaska, Minnesota [2025 champion: Minjee Lee]
July 9-12 - The Amundi Evian Championship - Evian Resort Golf Club, Evian-les-Bains, France [2026 champion: Haeran Ryu]
July 30-August 2 - AIG Women's Open - Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club, Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, England [2025 champion: Miyu Yamashita]
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Watch highlights as Miyu Yamashita claimed her first major victory by holding off Charley Hull at the AIG Women's Open
Solheim Cup 2026
September 11-13 - Solheim Cup - Bernardus Golf, Den Bosch, Cromvoirt, Netherlands [Defending champions: Team USA]
PGA Tour's key events and FedExCup Playoffs
February 12-15 - AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am - Pebble Beach Golf Links, California [Winner: Collin Morikawa]
February 19-22 - The Genesis Invitational - The Riviera Country Club, Pacific Palisades, California [Winner: Jacob Bridgeman]
March 5-8 - Arnold Palmer Invitational - Bay Hill Club and Lodge, Orlando, Florida [Winner: Akshay Bhatia]
March 12-15 - The Players - TPC Sawgrass (The Players Stadium Course), Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida [Winner: Cameron Young]
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Highlights of the three hole play-off match between Rory McIlroy and JJ Spaun at The Players
April 16-19 - RBC Heritage - Harbour Town Golf Links, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina [Winner: Matt Fitzpatrick]
April 30-May 3 - Miami Championship - Trump National Doral (Blue Monster), Miami, Florida [Winner: Cameron Young]
May 7-10 - Truist Championship - Quail Hollow Club, Charlotte, North Carolina [Winner: Kristoffer Reitan]
June 4-7 - The Memorial Tournament - Muirfield Village Golf Club, Dublin, Ohio [Winner: JT Poston]
June 25-28 - Travelers Championship - TPC River Highlands, Cromwell, Connecticut [Winner: Viktor Hovland]
August 13-16 - FedEx St Jude Championship - TPC Southwind, Memphis, Tennessee [2025 champion: Justin Rose]
August 20-23 - BMW Championship - Bellerive Country Club, St. Louis, Missouri [2025 champion: Scottie Scheffler]
August 27-30 - Tour Championship - East Lake Golf Club, Atlanta, Georgia [2025 champion: Tommy Fleetwood]
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Highlights from the final round of the PGA Tour's season-ending Tour Championship, where Tommy Fleetwood secured FedExCup glory
DP World Tour's Rolex Series events
January 22-25 - Hero Dubai Desert Classic - Emirates GC, Dubai, UAE [Winner: Patrick Reed]
July 9-12 - Genesis Scottish Open - The Renaissance Club, North Berwick, Scotland [Winner: Tom Kim]
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Highlights from day four of the Genesis Scottish Open held in The Renaissance Club in North Berwick, Scotland.
September 17-20 - BMW PGA Championship - Wentworth Club, Virginia Water, Surrey, England [2025 champion: Alex Noren]
November 5-8 - Abu Dhabi Championship - Yas Links GC, Abu Dhabi, UAE [2025 champion: Aaron Rai]
November 12-15 - DP World Tour Championship - Jumeirah Golf Estates, Earth Course, Dubai, UAE [2025 champion: Matt Fitzpatrick]
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Highlights of day four from the season-ending DP World Championship in Dubai, where Matt Fitzpatrick edged out Rory McIlroy in a dramatic finish
Senior men's majors
April 16-19 - Senior PGA Championship - The Concession Golf Club, Bradenton, Florida [Winner: Stewart Cink]
April 30-May 3 - Regions Tradition - Greystone Golf & Country Club. Birmingham, Alabama [Winner: Stewart Cink]
July 2-5 - US Senior Open Championship - Scioto Country Club, Columbus, Ohio [Winner: Padraig Harrington]
July 6-12 - Kaulig Companies Championship - Firestone Country Club, Akron, Ohio [Winner: Zach Johnson]
July 23-26 - ISPS Handa Senior Open -Gleneagles, Auchterarder, Scotland [2025 champion: Padraig Harrington]
Sky Sports continues to be the home of golf, with the majors, PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour and more all exclusively live. Stream golf and more with no contract.
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Get the best prices and book a round at one of 1,700 courses across the UK & Ireland %!s()
Tom Kim ended his 1,001-day wait for a fourth PGA Tour title by closing out an impressive two-shot win at the Genesis Scottish Open, as Robert MacIntyre missed out on a home victory.
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Kim went into the final round a shot behind co-leaders MacIntyre, Matt Fitzpatrick and Min Woo Lee at the Renaissance Club, where an impressive blemish-free 65 put him top of a congested leaderboard.
The Korean ended on 17 under and two clear of Lee, who posted a three-under 67, to claim a first worldwide win since the 2023 Shriners Children's Open and move back inside the world's top 50.
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MacIntyre ended four strokes back in tied-third with Fitzpatrick, Keita Nakajima and Johnny Keefer, who claimed a last-minute spot for The Open as one of the leading three players not already exempt for Royal Birkdale.
Rory McIlroy had made a Sunday charge after posting five birdies in his first seven holes, with a final-round 64 matching his lowest of the season and lifting him to tied-seventh alongside Michael Thorbjornsen.
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During the final round of the Genesis Scottish Open, Rory McIlroy fumed after a poor approach shot into the 16th hole
How Kim closed out Genesis Scottish Open victory
MacIntyre joined Fitzpatrick in birdieing the par-five first and briefly moved into the solo lead when his playing partner bogeyed the next, only for Kim - playing in the group ahead - to pull level by posting two birdies in his first four holes.
Kim extended his lead by taking advantage of the par-five seventh and rolling in from 15 feet to also birdie the 10th, as MacIntyre lost ground with four bogeys in a seven-hole stretch from the fourth.
Image:
Robert MacIntyre was looking to win the Genesis Scottish Open for a second time
Lee had followed a front-nine 34 by matching Kim's birdie at the 12th and added another at the 14th, briefly getting him within one, only for Kim to make a six-foot birdie at the 16th and par his final two holes to set the winning total.
"I played probably as good as I could have down the stretch with the pressure," Kim said. "I executed where I needed to. I'm very proud of myself for just being calm up there and just treating each shot as every shot out there."
Fitzpatrick mixed four birdies with three bogeys in his one-under 69, while MacIntyre followed a 30-foot eagle at the 12th with two late birdies to also end the week on 13 under.
Thorbjornsen and Victor Perez - who finished tied-ninth - joined Keefer in claiming spots for the final men's major of the year, while defending champion Chris Gotterup and US Open winner Wyndham Clark fell to tied-11th and tied-13th respectively after one-over 71s.
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'I'm so bad at golf' - McIlroy finds fix required for The Open
McIlroy held a share of the lead but slipped out of contention after a fog-affected third-round 73 that contained just one birdie, with the world No 2 finishing five strokes back despite a nine-shot improvement during the final round.
He cited the struggles of playing in a left-to-right wind for the inconsistency with his irons, as he has at various points this season, with McIlroy keen to address the issue heading into Royal Birkdale.
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McIlroy discussed his performance at the Scottish Open and the frustrations with his approach play
"Didn't finish the third round off today particularly well, sort of pieced it together, realised what I was doing, tried to figure it out a bit on the range before I went out for my final round," McIlroy admitted.
"At least I know what I'm doing, its a matter of trying to rectify it. Obviously there was some good in there today but there was some bad as well, so I'm going to need to work a little bit over the next couple of days.
"It was feeling good coming in here [with the irons] and it was good. I hit some really good iron shots over the first couple of days but the more I hit balls in a left to right wind, the more that [issue] starts to show itself and then it's a bit of a struggle from there."
Image:
McIlroy will be among the favourites to win The Open for a second time
When is The Open live on Sky Sports?
Sky Sports is once again the exclusive home of The Open in the UK and Ireland, with over 75 hours of live coverage from across the seven days of tournament week at Royal Birkdale.
Live coverage begins at 9am for each of the three practice days, before wall-to-wall action from the final men's major of the year gets under way at 6.30am on Thursday July 16 on Sky Sports Golf.
There will be at least 15 hours of action on both the first two rounds, with bonus feeds available on Sky Sports+ or the Sky Sports App, with extended coverage then starting at 9am on Saturday July 18 and 8am on Sunday July 19.
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Passionate, driven, uncompromising. Those are terms that can be equally applied to both Thomas Tuchel and Jude Bellingham.
Both are supremely self-confident, honest and opinionated, and they expect the highest of standards from everyone around them. Both are winners, and want nothing more than for England to win the World Cup.
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But here's the rub - each has a different idea about how Jude Bellingham should best be utilised for England to try to achieve that goal. While the Real Madrid star has traditionally wanted a much freer role to influence the game, the head coach has told him to work within the team system he has devised.
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Gary Neville had 'no problem' with the post-match exchanges between Tuchel and Bellingham
Tuchel's deliberate tactic has been to use more stick than carrot with his talisman, to try to mould him into an ever-better player. His praise has always been measured, monitored and carefully targeted. Like an over-strict father to his precocious son, who can't quite find it in himself to praise his brilliant offspring in public.
The German coach has very rarely praised Bellingham's ability, nor his unique capacity to inspire his team-mates and drive the side on to a higher level. Instead, he has focused his compliments on the moments when Bellingham has toed the line, sacrificed himself for the team, worked tirelessly off the ball.
Neville's goosebumps over Bellingham: I have never seen anything like it
Merson: Teams win leagues, X-factor wins World Cups - and Bellingham has it
World Cup semi-finals schedule | Report: Norway 1-2 England
Follow it all on the Sky Sports App | Golden Boot race
And, it could be argued, it has worked. Bellingham has been the best form of himself for England at this World Cup - eclipsing his performances for Real where the Galactico spirit hails all things individual, all things superstar.
If you look at his statistics from the quarter-final, you get the full picture of what a complete player he is. As well as the obvious attacking prowess, where he scored more goals, had more shots, more shots on target, and had more touches in the opposition box than anyone else on the pitch, he also won more duels and was second for the number of times he successfully pressured an opponent in their own half. Tuchel can claim much credit for that all-round dominance.
Also See:
Semi-final schedule
Latest England updates
2026 World Cup dates, venues and expanded format
England fixtures
Image:
Bellingham's stats vs Norway
The battle of wills between the two has lasted for more than 18 months. At its worst moment a year ago, it led to Tuchel ill-advisedly saying his own mother sometimes finds Bellingham "repulsive" on the pitch. That really upset Bellingham, and his family. Tuchel apologised, and it has now been mostly smoothed over.
It seemed bizarre in October when Tuchel went to extremes to try to force his message through to his star man by dropping him from the England squad completely for the friendly against Wales and the World Cup qualifier against Latvia.
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Paul Merson believes England have X-factors to help them win the World Cup in Bellingham and Harry Kane
Forty-eight hours before Tuchel announced his Bellingham-free squad, the 22-year-old had been named England's player of the year. Pointedly, Tuchel didn't sugarcoat the message by suggesting that maybe Bellingham needed a rest, or that he was nursing an old injury.
"Team spirit is the key factor in the end," said Tuchel at the time, emphasising he wanted to stick with the players who had done well in the previous camp, when Bellingham was unavailable because of a shoulder injury.
Image:
Bellingham celebrates his first goal against Norway
Was that clever man-management from Tuchel? Give the superstar a kick when his nation didn't need him, so that he is even more motivated right now when England need him desperately?
Back to this World Cup, and after the quarter-final win over Norway in Miami, Bellingham bristled when I asked him his thoughts on what Tuchel had said - namely, that overall the boss thought it was a "sloppy" team performance, and that England had ridden their luck. Bellingham's spiky response fired back, saying Tuchel didn't know what it was like to play in a top-level knockout game in temperatures that were the equivalent of 44 Celsius.
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Rob Dorsett gives his verdict on England's 2-1 victory over Norway in the World Cup quarter-finals.
Was that a dig at the fact Tuchel's short and unspectacular playing career in Germany never hit the heights before a knee injury forced him to retire at the age of 25? Probably. Bellingham had won La Liga, the UEFA Super Cup and the Champions League by the age of 22.
There was mitigation for both, in what each said post match. And both were correct in their sentiment. Bellingham was utterly drained. He had given his all, and then some. You could see it in his eyes. And he was still elated from making it to his first World Cup semi-final, when in walked the Sky Sports News journalist to tell him that his boss had just said he wasn't happy with the performance. Bellingham's response was perfectly understandable.
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Watch to see if the ball hit the Spidercam cable before England's equalising goal. Credit: FIFA
As for Tuchel, he was right to say that England's performance was lacking quality [with the notable exception of Bellingham and a handful of others], that England rode their luck with Norway's disallowed goal and the mysterious "spidercam wire" shenanigans. He was also absolutely correct to suggest England will need to play much better if they are to beat Argentina in the semi-final, and then either Spain or France in the World Cup final. It was a spontaneous spilling of bile, but it was also a call to arms for the squad.
Bellingham was right too. He felt that Tuchel was diminishing the Goliath-like effort that he and his England team-mates had put in, in the most humid and difficult conditions that any of them had ever played in. Bellingham speaking up for his team-mates, praising their efforts and sheer will to win was admirable. And ironically, it was exactly the sort of collective-feeling Tuchel had been calling for from the Real man for months.
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Erling Haaland lauded his former team-mate Bellingham after England beat Norway
So, forget any suggestion there is a rift between Tuchel and Bellingham. There isn't. There are just two hyper-competitive, super-passionate sportsmen, at the top of their game, driving each other to new heights. This love-hate relationship has been going on ever since The Football Association appointed a new head coach 18 months ago.
Everything you have seen from the two, and between the two, men is positive, it's healthy, and it's great news for England in their hopes of winning the World Cup. %!s()
![Krzysztof Ratajski celebrates victory in Leverkusen [Sebastian Doppstadt/PDC Europe]](https://e0.365dm.com/26/07/768x432/skysports-krzysztof-ratajski_7296182.jpg?20260712230959)
![Jermaine Wattimena reached his first-ever semi-final and final on the circuit [Sebastian Doppstadt/PDC Europe]](https://e0.365dm.com/26/07/768x432/skysports-wattimena-darts-european-darts-open_7296183.jpg?20260712231107)
