INTERVIEW: ''Am not fit for two more years like this'' - Vincent van der Voort ponders darting future as form dries up

Is Vincent van der Voort entering his final months on the PDC circuit, or will 'The Dutch Destroyer' extend his long career? To that question, he hopes to find his own answer in the coming months.

Due to injury, motivation issues and personal problems, Van der Voort, for years a regular in the top-32 of the world rankings, has dropped to the 61st position on the PDC Order of Merit. 'The Dutch Destroyer' must be in the top-64 of the world rankings by January 2025 to retain his Tour Card, but Van der Voort feels it is especially important to regain his old level and enjoyment of the game.

''Fun obviously also comes with performance,'' Van der Voort explained in the first part of an extensive interview with Dartsnews.com. ''It's not that I go to tournaments with a lot of reluctance. That was true before, but that also had to do with private circumstances. Now I don't go there reluctantly, but you sit and wait for it to click and that it does go well again. That you can also show the level of practice in matches. I feel that training is going better than in a long time before, only in matches it does not come out yet and that will have to happen.''

Especially mentally, Van der Voort thinks he still has steps to take. ''I have to be able to turn that knob to put everything aside to win again. That has to come again. That was always what I used to depend on. Trying to fight yourself into a match and make sure you are just a little bit better than your opponent, that's what I'm missing at the moment. I do notice that it is coming back a bit. For example, if I am down 5-3, I try to push a bit more. You still think, 'I'm not going to lose this one'. Of course you can still lose the match, but then you are mentally different.

The 48-year-old darter will have to qualify for the World Darts Championship to keep his Tour Card, but keeping his Tour Card is not the most important thing for Van der Voort. ''For me it is important that the level goes up. Then at the end of the year I will see if I still see benefit in continuing or if I say it has been enough. I don't go to a tournament to get to the first round, second round or maximum third round. I don't come for that. Then I don't go to Q-School for example to then have two more years like this, I'm just not cut out for that. So I'll have to find something to hold on to at the tournaments, giving me the idea that I still have something to look for there. If that's not there, then I have to draw my conclusions.''

Whether an alternative is ready for Van der Voort should he decide to put his darts away for good? ''I am working on one thing and another. There is nothing definite yet, so then I'm not going to say what it is, but it is something within the sport of darts.''