EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW | Dominik Grüllich will also tackle the entire PDC Tour: "I have the full backing of my employer"

Only a single leg separated Dominik Grüllich from winning a PDC Tour Card at the Q-School 2024. But the 22-year-old was not discouraged. Grüllich fought his way back in impressive style, reached the PDC Europe Super League semi-finals in the following months and finished the Development Tour season in the top 10 of the Order of Merit.

Last weekend, the player from Wolnzach finally made up for last year's Q-School drama and crowned his development by winning a Tour Card.

In an exclusive interview with Dartsnews.com, Grüllich revealed how he coordinates his everyday Pro Tour life with his full-time job as a landscape gardener and how intensively he will use his Tour Card. He also looked back on the decisive days in Kalkar in an interview with our editorial team and formulated his initial goals for the upcoming 2025 PDC season.

Dominik, your Tour Card win was a few days ago now. Have you already realized this great success?

Dominik Grüllich: Not fully processed yet, because I had to go straight into work on Tuesday and hadn't really digested it on Monday. I haven't really been able to realize it yet, but I'm sure that will come in the next few days.

How will you reconcile your everyday life on tour with your job as a landscape gardener? How intensively will you play the Pro Tour?

I will try to play as much as possible. If I'm ill, of course I can't play. Everything has been clarified with work, I have the full backing of my employer.

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The Q-School 2025 was also your return to the place where you narrowly missed out on winning the Tour Card last year. Did you still have those memories in your head?

I have to say, I didn't really think about it at all and just tried to play my game.

You took the next step on the Development Tour this year and played a strong PDC Europe Super League. What was your goal when you traveled to Kalkar?

The goal was clearly to get the Tour Card. And if it hadn't worked out, I would have played the Challenge and Development Tour again. I didn't put myself under any pressure.

After 0 points on day one, you reached the semi-finals on day two of the final stage with clear results and strong performances. How did you experience this day of the tournament?

I felt good and was fortunately in my focus. Up until the semi-finals, everything actually went almost without a hitch. I was very satisfied after the tournament day because it's obviously great to have collected four points after two days. Then I thought to myself that I would get the two points on the last two days.

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"Just stay relaxed and play"

After another second-round exit on day three, it was once again all to play for on the final day. Did you feel a lot of pressure that day? How do you deal with situations like that?

Different, but I thought to myself, "just stay relaxed and play". When I saw the draw, I thought to myself "Phew, Cor Dekker... That will be difficult, but doable." Fortunately, the game went my way 

You weren't intimidated by this amazing draw and won 6-3 with an average of 97 points against Dekker. Was that the perfect start to such an important tournament day?

I think so. A game like that also gives you confidence and you feel good afterwards because you know you can do it.

In your decisive match for the Tour Card, you were trailing 0-2 against Rusty-Jake Rodriguez. Did thoughts of last year cross your mind, or were you able to keep your match focus?

I think I was in the tunnel and just tried to get the best possible result because every leg really counts at Q-School.

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You immediately put this plan into action, winning five legs in a row and winning the match 6-3. Describe the moment for us when you secured your Tour Card.

It was indescribable. I first sat down and thought about what to do next... my thoughts were everywhere.

Winning a PDC Tour Card has been a life-changing moment for many players in the past. How much will your everyday life change now?

Actually, everything will stay the same. I will work less and reduce my hours. But I'll actually go to work, train for 2-3 hours and everything will stay the same.

You have impressed with high averages in recent months on the Development Tour, in the Super League and now at Q-School. Are you currently in top form or do you still see room for improvement in your game?

I think I can play even better, but my form is already good. For now, I'll let the first two Pro Tour tournaments come to me and give myself time to settle in. Then I'll see how things go there and what happens over the next few months.

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"Take first or second place on the Development Tour"

Have you already made concrete plans and goals for the coming year on the Pro Tour?

I haven't really set myself any goals for the Tour yet, but I definitely want to finish in the top 10 at the Development Tour and maybe finish first or second for the World Championship qualifiers.

Do you think it can be a decisive advantage for you on the Development Tour to play against the best players in the world on the Pro Tour at the same time?

It could go either way. If you're always eliminated in round one on the Pro Tour, I don't know how well you can cope mentally - it could backfire. But I do think it can or will help.

On the Pro Tour you will meet some of the biggest PDC stars and legends. Have you thought about what it will be like to stand on the board with van Gerwen, Littler or Humphries?

I took part in Pro Tour tournaments last year as a latecomer and the first day was overwhelming. You normally only see them on TV and then all of a sudden they're standing in front of you and playing against you. That was really impressive. I got to play Michael Smith on the third day, which was a cool feeling. You have to take that feeling with you and then it's just play, play, play.

Do you have role models or idols on the tour?

Clearly Michael van Gerwen or Luke Humphries... and maybe now Luke Littler as well. At the end of the day, it's just cool to play against all the pros.

How much does it help that you've already experienced a Pro Tour tournament and can get a feel for how these events work before your first Tour Card year?

That helps me, yes. I know what the process is like and in the end it's nothing more than a Challenge or Development Tour event.

Are you in contact with other German Tour Card holders to get tips and advice?

Just like Leon (Weber, editor's note), I also talk a bit with Lukas (Wenig, editor's note) or Ricardo (Pietreczko, editor's note). I will probably travel to England a lot with Pero (Ljubic, editor's note), who has already asked me, and probably also with Lukas, because we don't live far apart. In my opinion, it's good when you can travel together.

What do your next few weeks look like before your PDC season starts with the Masters at the end of the month? Are you going to invest everything in the practice board again? What still needs to be done before then?

I'll take a bit of a break until Monday, but then I'll go full throttle again in training and focus everything on the Masters qualifiers. After that, it's another week of training and then it's off to the first Players Championship tournaments.

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