The World Matchplay in Blackpool was not only a chance for Kevin van der Voort to watch the best players on the planet. The son of former professional Vincent van der Voort was in England to support his close friend Niels Zonneveld. It also produced a lovely moment that put a smile on his father’s face.
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Kevin van der Voort has become increasingly involved in darts in recent years. Although he did not step on stage as a player at the World Matchplay, he was in Blackpool to back Zonneveld. Their friendship meant Kevin wanted to experience the Dutchman’s performance up close.
Zonneveld lost a first-round thriller 13-12 to Stephen Bunting at the World Matchplay. Cameras zoomed in on Kevin van der Voort, who was visibly gutted. “He’s like that quite often when he travels with me,” Zonneveld told the podcast DartsDraait Door.
“I appreciate how much he lives it with me, better that than someone telling me what I did wrong. You don’t want to hear that. We just ride those moments together; Kevin just finds it harder to hold it in than most.”
“He gets that intense reaction from his mother,” joked a smiling Vincent van der Voort when shown the footage of his son Kevin.
Despite his early exit at the World Matchplay, Zonneveld is putting together a very strong year. He has impressed on the European Tour and climbed to 36th on the world ranking.
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Qualification for majors
Thanks to those results, Zonneveld is already assured of spots at several key majors in the autumn. We will definitely see ‘Triple Z’ at the World Grand Prix, the European Championship, the Players Championship Finals, and the World Championship.
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.