At the European Darts Grand Prix in Sindelfingen, Gerwyn Price secured his tenth European Tour title with a final win over Ross Smith, but on the Tops Tops Tops podcast with Adrian Geiler, Fabian Dippold, and Max Meintz, the spotlight fell on Germany's number one, Martin Schindler. Adrian Geiler declared it "obviously Martin Schindler and his weekend," noting it was "much more than what he actually achieved" despite only two wins. When asked if Schindler's last 16 victory over Jonny Clayton marked a turning point in 2026, Geiler was unequivocal: "No. It was the win over Damon Heta." However, Max Meintz remained cautious, stating, "You can't say that yet. It was just one tournament—we'll have to see how the next ones go," and underscoring Schindler's lack of consistency: "If there's one thing Schindler hasn't shown, it's stability." Meintz highlighted past good showings like at the UK Open that weren't built on, but also pointed to upside, saying, "If he hits that match dart against Price in the quarterfinal, we don't know how far he could have gone," against players like Wessel Nijman or Ross Smith, concluding, "It was convincing, but I'd still say we should wait and see—even though it was his best weekend this year."
Fabian Dippold pinpointed the match against Damon Heta as the decisive turning point or release, explaining, "I'd even say there was one specific moment in that match." He described the past few months as "frustrating" for Schindler, with a start against Heta that reflected issues: Schindler sprayed unusually, including Single 5, Single 1, and Treble 3, and after three legs, he had thrown 14 visits without a treble. Adrian Geiler added that until the first 180 in the fourth leg, his average was only 65 points. Dippold analyzed, "The next visit without a treble didn't come until leg 7. After that 180, he completely flipped a switch and went on a tear," suggesting this moment could be decisive for the future: "I walk onto the stage with a bad feeling and leave it with a good one—that's very important for him." From that point, Schindler averaged 108 and turned the match around, finishing with a 92 average, underscoring a massive in-game improvement.
Adrian Geiler put the shift into precise context: "After that 180, he played a 108 average to beat Damon Heta. He really should have been 0–4 down and was lucky Heta didn't take his chances. In the end, it's a 92 average," showing how strong Schindler performed after a poor start where he had been under 70 for long stretches. The win clearly unlocked something, as Geiler explained, "He completely took off after that win, because there had been so much negativity around him." Personal impressions backed this up: "I spoke with him in Neu-Ulm. He wasn't euphoric, and neither was Denise. They know it's not that easy right now." Schindler himself spoke openly about pressure as a top-16 player, possibly taking on too much to live up to that status, with a weak start to the season resulting, which he is now shedding step by step.
After the difficult opening against Heta came strong displays: in a 6-1 win over Jonny Clayton, he benefited from a weaker opponent but impressed with a 101 average, and in the quarterfinal against Gerwyn Price, he produced a strong performance despite dented confidence. The decider showed how close Schindler came to the semifinals, with a match dart on 130 and a bouncer preventing an even better position, leading Geiler to say, "Then we don't know if Gerwyn Price actually wins that match." External conditions made it tougher, as hard boards don't suit Schindler's throwing style, making it notable he sustained this level over an entire weekend, with Geiler emphasising, "To bring performances like that consistently to the board—that's really quite significant." It still isn't a definitive turning point, with upcoming Players Championship events and the European Tour in Graz set to show if Schindler can confirm this form, but the weekend delivered vital prize money for the World Matchplay and World Grand Prix and, above all, new confidence, symbolised by the line: "I am Martin Schindler, I am Germany's number one."
