"Because of how he's been this year, the last one and a half years actually": Gian van Veen surprisingly gives Wessel Nijman favourite tag for World Matchplay clash
PDCSunday, 19 July 2026 at 23:57
Gian van Veen has taken down Krzysztof Ratajski in a tie that he won 10-6 to begin his World Matchplay campaign. Van Veen spoke afterwards to the media, including DartsNews.com, and admitted that he wants to prove the doubters wrong as he aims to continue his road back from kidney stones, as well as why Wessel Nijman is in fact the favourite for their clash on Wednesday.
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"I think I needed it very much. You know, I'm feeling good, of course. I think the start of the game was really good for me. I got a lot of confidence from that, and then the back-end scoring-wise, it dropped off massively," he said as per DartsNews.com.
"I think that's what I've been doing the last couple of months, actually, and scoring has just not been up there as I wanted it to be. But my finishing got me through that game. A lot of good finishes, good on the doubles, and I think that's what got me through to the second round."
Admitting himself previously that he wasn't back to his best after his kidney stones travails earlier in the year, Van Veen said that he isn't back there yet and his performance showed. But that it is a confidence boost.
"Yeah, it's been going in the right way, but I'm not there 100% yet. I feel like I'm there, but my performances haven't been showing that.
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"You know, I think if I was really 100% back, I wouldn't have dropped off after the second break and I did today, even after the first break. I was really playing well, but scoring-wise I just dropped off today and it's just not what I want.
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"But it's part of my game at the moment and I really need to focus on how that's happening, how I'm getting so many trouble visits. But my finishing really got me through today and this is just another massive confidence boost going into my game and for the next round."
Van Veen aims for confidence and to prove doubters wrong
While he is not sick anymore though, Van Veen did say that confidence has been an issue for something that, in reality, he couldn't help getting. "It's been really frustrating, of course. But you can't help being ill and it's influenced my game for a couple of weeks, maybe a couple of months.
"But for now, I know I'm 100% back. I feel 100% fit and I'm done with giving that as an excuse. It's been difficult, the kidney stones, but for now, I don't see that as an excuse anymore."
"Maybe for my confidence, yes, because I've played so many games after that kidney stones period, like shortly after it, I lost too many games. It's damaged my confidence, but for now, I feel 100% fit. It doesn't influence me during my game."
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Gian van Veen reached the semi-finals in New York
"But my confidence, of course, has taken a huge hit because of that, but you know, it's part of life and I think every dart player goes through that once in a while."
The World Number Two has also been a storyline and Van Veen reiterated again that in reality he doesn't feel like the World Number Two if he gets that spot. But that also it wouldn't change anything.
"It gives you confidence, yes, but it also gives you extra pressure. That's what I feel like at the moment. I don't want to feel like that, but it does, you know. And I think everyone, like 99%, would agree that I'm not playing as the world number two at the moment, but I'm still getting the wins here and there.
"I'm still getting the job done. I'm really happy with this win at the moment, but, you know, if it happens, number two in the back end of the year, then it happens. If it doesn't, I don't really mind. If there's a number two, number three, number nine behind my name, I don't really mind.
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"I'm still the same person, still the same player. It's not going to put 10 points on my average. I wish it does, but it's not going to happen. I'm just going to do my own job and whatever comes, comes."
Proving doubters wrong
But behind Van Veen's own road to redemption is also a sense in himself that he very much wants to prove the doubters wrong while doing it.
"You know, I've always said that. Even though after I went through the illness, I knew I would come back and, you know, you've seen it with a lot of players. They have a rough patch and then afterwards they come back even stronger.
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"So I hope that's the case for me. It hasn't happened so far yet, but, you know, I'm really confident that it will happen in the future. But for now, I'm just battling through it.
"You know, I'm playing okay, well enough to win some games, not well enough to win tournaments. But, you know, I'm okay with that. I just want to win games, do well in tournaments, prove a lot of the haters wrong, prove a lot of the doubters wrong.
"And that's what I'm here for. And if it happens this week, it will happen. But I'm looking forward to it."
Van Veen also wants to use it as a vehicle to further his ambitions confidence wise at a major he ranks very highly in the World Matchplay and he has the hunger to drive forward on Wednesday.
"You know, everyone knows this is the second biggest major after the World Championship. So you want to perform here well.
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"This is an iconic venue, the Winter Gardens. I love coming back here, even after the last two years where you have good memories of it. You know, I always play well here and today was okay, but I still got the job done and I'm looking forward to Wednesday for the second round.
"I'm really confident. You know, this is a brilliant tournament, one of the biggest ones. So I want to play well here."
Nijman favourite when he plays Van Veen?
Nijman will be favourite for tie according to Van Veen
Next up will be Wessel Nijman and for Van Veen, he sees him as the favourite despite ranking. "I think before the game, he's going to be the favourite against me. Even though he hasn't made it to the major quarter-final, I think he'll still be the favourite because of how he's been this year, the last one and a half years actually.
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"But I know what I'm capable of. I've played him so many times. I've beat him a lot of times, so I know what it takes to beat him. But it's up to me to beat him, to turn up.
"I think he's going to have a base level, but if I play really well, I'm going to beat him. If I don't, he'll beat me. So I'm really confident in my game. I know I could beat him. But yes, as I said, if I don't turn up, he'll beat me easily."
Asked about the current state of media coverage in the Netherlands and how much he has had to do, he said that he sees it going from strength to strength.
"Well, I don't know about Wessel, but for me, you know, the spotlight's been good, especially after the World Championship, of course.
"During the World Championship, there was a lot of media. After that, during the Premier League and even before this time, there were a couple of guys who wanted to interview me as a preview for this tournament. So I think the darts coverage in the Netherlands has been good. Viaplay has been covering it, but they just sold it to another company in the Netherlands.
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"So I think the darts is in a really good place in the moment in the Netherlands, and it's going to be a bigger coverage, a bigger viewership. So yeah, you know, I'm hoping the darts really continues to grow in the Netherlands."
But also he sees himself as the only player since perhaps Michael van Gerwen to have as much spotlight. "You know, I think Michael, you know, Michael has been the only one who's had this much media before, and I think he's been really to himself.
"So, I felt like, for myself, I've been thrown really into the deep end, especially after the World Championship final, but I've adjusted to it.
"You know, you see a lot on social media that people expect so much from you, and you play so many tournaments, so many Pro Tours, so many European Tours, a couple of Majors, of course, all the Premier League nights, and you lose so many games.
"And if you look on social media, then you're a nobody, because everyone wants you to win certain games which you lose, and everyone expects so much of you. But at that moment, I said to myself, OK, no more social media. Just focus on your own game.
"Do what you want to do, because I could be up here for my family, for my fans, for everyone, but, you know, my family, OK, they care when I lose, but my fans, you know, they only think about the negative side.
"I'm here for my own. I want to do well for myself. If I lose here tonight, for example, my family would be upset for one day. I could be upset for a couple of days. I'm here for myself. I want to do well for myself, and I think that's the biggest lesson I've learned this year."
He also was quizzed about whether he sees himself having less pressure on his shoulders this year in reality and he said that he doesn't while also maintaining his view about Nijman being the favourite.
"Not really, because I would have hoped so, but I think everyone is still, even though I'm not playing as well as I wanted to be, I think everyone expects me to get through to the couple of games.
"And maybe not when I play Wessel Nijman. If he wins the next game, then everyone expects him to win.
"But I think that's why I excel in my own game. I always play better when I'm the underdog, and I think that will show maybe the next couple of months. But for now, I'm just happy to where I am, and I'm glad with this win."
Samuel GillChief Content Officer
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.
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