"He kept believing in me, kept talking to me. I’ll never forget that” - Jermaine Wattimena reveals Rob Cross influence behind his recent resurgence

Jermaine Wattimena survived a thriller in the opening round of the 2026 World Darts Championship. “The Machine Gun” came back from 2-1 down in sets to eventually win 3-2 against Germany’s Dominik Grüllich. Wattimena will face England’s Scott Williams in the second round.

Wattimena spoke to the media visibly relieved after his World Championship match. No wild euphoria, no grand gestures, just calm. And relief. “That’s the right word,” he said. “Relief. That’s the overriding feeling.”

The Dutchman felt he had made life unnecessarily difficult for himself. Not because his opponent was weak — far from it — but because he knew he was clearly on top in certain areas.

“I put way too much pressure on myself in this match. It wasn’t really necessary. In scoring power I know I’m better. But Dominik just fights his way through a match like that. You have to respect that. He’s a good player.”

Wattimena started convincingly and took a 1-0 lead in sets. At that point he seemed in control, but the match suddenly turned and he found himself 2-1 down. “Then you start to think,” he explained. “You miss a few chances, it happens. That’s part of darts.”

Still, he felt the momentum wasn’t gone for good. “I noticed he was getting a bit more nervous. His checkouts became harder. Then I know: I can handle this. I’ve got enough experience now.”

That experience ultimately proved decisive, especially in the final set. “That last set was just good. I showed I can handle pressure. I think that was the difference.”

According to Wattimena, it wasn’t so much about throwing better, but about handling the situation better. “At a certain point you see someone getting tense. Then you have to stay calm yourself. That’s what I did. I think my experience was decisive there.”

It typifies the phase Wattimena is in right now. No longer a tempestuous, talented player, but a darter who knows what he’s doing, who knows when to accelerate and when to slow it down. “I’m just happy I got him over the line in the end.”

With the first round out of the way, Wattimena is trying above all to stay calm. “We can be a little zen now,” he said with a smile. “A few days to relax, keep calm, and then off we go again.”

That “zen” isn’t an empty phrase. Wattimena repeatedly stressed how important calm and positivity are for him. “I’ve had a good year. Two Pro Tour titles, semi-finals, finals. Maybe that made me put a bit too much pressure on myself. But I won this match in the end, and that’s the main thing.”

Expectations around Wattimena are clearly higher than a year ago. And he feels it. “People expect more than last year, that’s right. But honestly? I try not to focus on it too much. Calm. Composure.”

That confidence doesn’t come from nowhere. “It just feels good. Positive vibes. I also had a spell where I was really in a dip. I lost a lot of matches. But at a certain point I started winning more again, also on stage. That does something to you. That’s where those vibes came from.”

Wattimena is now firmly back in the world’s top 20. Something that was anything but a given a few years ago. “Sometimes I even start doubting myself whether that’s really the case,” he laughed. “But yes, it’s true.”

The step towards the top 16 is back in sight. “I’ve always believed that was possible. And I heard it from others too. People said: you have the quality, you have an easy style, you can do this.”

Wattimena spoke strikingly openly about the support he received from fellow darters, even outside his own team. Rob Cross in particular played an important role. “He helped me enormously during a tough period. He kept believing in me, kept talking to me. I’ll never forget that.”

That support gave him extra confidence. “Not only my teammates helped me, but other players too. I’m very grateful for that. It makes me proud.”

Besides mental support, Wattimena also changed something tangible: his equipment. “I adjusted my setup, and that helped enormously.”

Scott Williams awaits in the second round, a player known for his theatrical behavior and unpredictability. Wattimena takes a level-headed view. “We know each other well. We talk a lot on Tour. He’s going to enjoy himself up there on stage, I’m sure of it.”

He doesn’t want to think about ranking points or prize money. “I don’t look at that. He plays his game, I play mine. That’s all.”

As with several players at this Worlds, Wattimena was also asked about shoes. Special darts shoes with extra grip are on the rise, but Wattimena isn’t keen. “I just wear black Armani sneakers. They fit well, that’s the main thing.”

The specially developed darts shoes, with extra edges and support, aren’t for him. “They might walk fine, but it’s not my thing. I like sneakers. I’ve got the right pair now.”

What does Wattimena do in the days between matches? Surprisingly little darts. “I’m going to London. Lunch, walk around, London Eye, Buckingham Palace. Just relax. Absolutely nothing to do with darts for a bit.”

Can he really do that, completely let go of darts? “Yes. Absolutely. One day off. That works for me.”

Finally, Raymond van Barneveld came up, with whom Wattimena trained shortly before the Worlds. His early exit affected him. “I grew up in the period when he became world champion. He put darts on the map in the Netherlands. It was a shame to see.”

Above all, Wattimena hopes Van Barneveld makes the right choices for the future. “That’s what I wish for him.”