Dirk van Duijvenbode has been enjoying a strong run of form in recent weeks. At the Austrian Darts Open, the Dutchman reached the quarterfinals, and he went one better last weekend by making the semifinals of the European Darts Grand Prix.
ADVERTISEMENT
However, it wasn’t just Van Duijvenbode’s darts doing the talking in Sindelfingen. Just as he had in Austria, the 32-year-old was again seen fiddling with the sponsor stickers on his shirt—something that caught the attention of former pro Vincent van der Voort.
“At one point, he even stuck a sticker on his head and gave an interview while holding another in his hand,” Van der Voort said on the Darts Draait Door podcast. “It remains a strange sight—apparently he didn’t learn anything from the week before.”
Van der Voort questioned whether such antics reflect the seriousness needed at the professional level. “If that sticker is bothering you, you take it off after two legs. But Dirk turns it into a whole performance every time.”
Dirk van Duijvenbode
Light-hearted Laughter
The sticker antics did provoke plenty of laughter from the crowd, and social media users also seemed to enjoy the spectacle. “He holds it up in such a way that you can’t even see his actual sponsors,” Van der Voort chuckled.
ADVERTISEMENT
Belgian pro Kim Huybrechts, also appearing on the podcast, wasn’t surprised by Van Duijvenbode’s behavior. “Dirk is Dirk, huh? You can’t judge him,” he said.
Still, Van der Voort was quick to emphasize Van Duijvenbode’s resurgence on the oche after a challenging spell with injury. “He’s throwing fantastically right now, producing a really high level. It’s unbelievably good.”
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.