Martin Schindler secured a crucial victory at the Grand Slam of Darts 2025, keeping his hopes alive for advancing to the knockout phase. The German dart player narrowly triumphed over Stephen Bunting with a score of 5-4 in a tense match that culminated in a decisive final leg. After the match, Schindler expressed his relief, acknowledging the challenge posed by Bunting, who missed several opportunities to clinch the match. “I obviously feel really good about that win. Stephen missed a few match darts, and I could never really make a big hole. It kept going back and forth with the legs. In the end, I was lucky that he missed—and I didn’t,” Schindler said.
This victory followed a disappointing loss to Luke Woodhouse the previous day, which weighed heavily on Schindler’s mind. “Yesterday I just wasn’t really there,” he reflected. “I was really hard on myself in the last 24 hours. Sometimes I’m really unfair to myself because I always want to get better. But today I wanted to improve my body language and celebrate my good moments. Sometimes you need that to get the engine going again.”
With this win, Schindler now controls his own destiny, heading into a critical final group match against Filipino player Alexis Toylo. He remained cautious about his upcoming opponent, stating, “The fate is in my own hands now, but it was the same in previous editions. I know how it feels to miss match darts in the group stage. Alexis has already beaten Bunting, so he is dangerous. Maybe because of his name people think he is the easiest opponent, but that is not so. He plays slow, and that makes him difficult. I have to be focused and play at my best.”
Though he hadn’t been able to watch Toylo’s previous match live due to broadcasting limitations in Germany, Schindler noted that he was prepared from watching online. “As a German, Sky Sports is hard to watch here,” he joked. “But I know he plays slowly. I’ve seen his matches on YouTube. So I am prepared for what awaits me.”
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The discussion then turned to comments made by fellow competitor Michael van Gerwen, who referred to Niko Springer as the best German darter of all time. Schindler addressed these remarks with a measured response, saying, “Niko is a great player, but for me, it is not a contest between him and me about who is better. I don’t understand why in Germany there always has to be a number one. I only look at myself.”
On the topic of Van Gerwen’s critiques of his performance, Schindler remained unfazed, asserting, “Every time Michael said something negative about me in the German press, I actually played fantastic afterwards. I won Euro Tours and other tournaments. So if he wants to keep doing that, fine. I’ve been playing this game for eight years, am now in the top 16 in the world and have a fighter’s mentality. He can’t do anything against that.”
Schindler also expressed disdain for the constant comparisons among German players. “In Germany, you are extolled if you play well, and slapped down if you are bad,” he explained. “After my loss yesterday, I only saw negative comments online. Of course, I didn’t play great, but I averaged 92. That’s the German behavior, I guess. I’d rather focus on my world ranking, not on that discussion.”
Finally, Schindler addressed the common critique regarding his ability to translate his form from floor events to significant televised competitions. He attributed part of the difference to technical aspects such as lighting. “The biggest difference is the light and the board,” he noted. “On the Euro Tours, the board is very brightly lit, but on the big TV stages, especially at Sky, it seems darker. You have to adjust every time. For me, everything has to be right to play really well. Yesterday that was searching; today it felt better.” He added that other players share similar experiences, highlighting the challenges posed by lighting during televised events.
