Niko Springer's eagerly anticipated homecoming at the European Championship 2026 in Dortmund has hit an early snag, with the 26-year-old German admitting he is not fully fit ahead of Friday's evening session clash with Jonny Clayton. Speaking during a media session organised by PDC Europe and attended by Dartsnews.de, Springer revealed he is feeling under the weather. "I'm feeling a little under the weather at the moment. I caught it from my brother before Maastricht, so I'm not 100 per cent fit. But I still have a little time before Friday, and I'm confident I'll be fine. I'm definitely looking forward to it," he said.
The draw itself came as something of a morning surprise for the "Meenzer Bub", who had been keeping a close eye on the qualification rankings as they remained extremely tight until the European Tour event in Maastricht concluded. "I checked the rankings now and then on the Sunday and had about three or four names in mind who could have been my opponent: Woodhouse, Noppert and van Veen. Clayton hadn't even crossed my mind, and I went to bed thinking I'd play van Veen," Springer explained. "Then I woke up and saw that Zonneveld had won the tournament and things had shifted again. That was a bit of a surprise."
Clayton is a player Springer holds in high regard. "It is what it is. Jonny Clayton is a very difficult opponent. I've played him a few times at exhibitions, and it was never easy." Yet the German is embracing the underdog role. "Basically, I'd say I have nothing to lose. But it's worth remembering that with only 32 players qualifying, it almost doesn't matter who you draw. The standard is extremely high." He added: "I'm just looking forward to playing in front of my home crowd again, and I'll enjoy it. My parents are coming along too, for example, just like last year. Of course, I'd love to win, but I'm sure everyone else wants that too."
Reflecting on his 2026 season, Springer offered a mixed assessment. "I have mixed feelings, to be honest. If I look just at my results and what I've achieved compared with last year, especially on the ProTour, my main goal was to improve a little," he said. "Looking at it now, I've reached a semi-final and a quarter-final. Last year, I often won only my first match before going out. In that respect, I can see progress." He also noted: "So far, I've been at all the majors, which is very important to me too." However, he conceded: "Sure, if you focus on the stats, they are actually lower than last year. But the crucial part of the season is only just beginning, and I'm looking forward to what's still to come. I'm feeling positive and have a good feeling about it."
One area of concern is his doubles checkout rate, which stands at just 35.28 per cent over the past three months, ranking him 192nd in the relevant statistical comparison. Springer, though, sees it as a matter of form. "It's actually not that simple, because I think it can happen in spells. I'm not 100 per cent sure now, but I think my average doubles checkout rate last year was around 40 per cent. I'd say that's pretty decent," he explained. "There's not really time to practise it properly. Of course, you can work it into your practice to some extent. But I think if I focused on it completely now and concentrated only on doubles, that wouldn't necessarily mean it would work." He added: "I try not to let it get to me or dwell on it too much. As I said, I go on stage wanting to win the match, and I go out there believing that I'll finish it when I get a shot at a double."
Regardless of form or fitness, Dortmund holds a special place for Springer. "Seven to eight thousand spectators is an incredibly high number. And as a German playing there, the support is obviously tremendous," he enthused. "It's one of the few tournaments where lots of friends and family want to come along, because they want to experience it for themselves." Last year his campaign ended in the first round against Jermaine Wattimena, but he looks back fondly. "I really enjoyed it last year, regardless of the first-round result against Wattimena. I've been looking forward to it for ages, and one of my goals was to qualify for the European Championship again." That goal is achieved. "I've managed that. Now I just need to recover over the next few days, and then I'm looking forward to being back up there."
