Dirk van Duijvenbode predicts fireworks in Austrian Darts Open clash with Gian van Veen: "He is one of the best players at the moment"

Dirk van Duijvenbode impressed on Friday night in the first round of the Austrian Darts Open 2025. The Dutchman convincingly defeated Hungarian qualifier Gyorgy Jehirszki 6-1 with an average of over 106. Yet for 'The Titan', it still feels like there is much more to come.

"It felt good," Van Duijvenbode reflected in his immediate interview on stage after the match. "I was a bit frustrated with the first leg as I felt good and missed six darts when I was on a double after twelve darts. Apart from that, it was a good performance. I felt like I had more in the tank as I didn't realise I had a 106 average."

The match ended impressively with a 10-darter, in which Van Duijvenbode even threw the first five darts perfectly. "I thought it was a perfect dart. It was almost impossible to miss the treble. I changed a small inch of the position (when throwing the dart) so it should slide in. I always analyse my darts and how they should go in the board and then throw it. This was one in a hundred darts that didn't go in," he recalls ruefully.

Next up, an attractive clash against compatriot and talent Gian van Veen awaits in the second round, and Van Duijvenbode is looking forward to it. If it could be fireworks? "Yes, one hundred percent," he laughs. "He has been playing very well over the last year with high averages and everything. I have to play very well to beat him." 

Finally, Van Duijvenbode expressed surprise that the match against Van Veen is being played in the afternoon. Usually, the best matches of the second round are played in the evening session. "I just don't understand why to put him in the afternoon session, because he is one of the best players at the moment," the former World Grand Prix finalist stated.