"Hoped it was a one-off, but now it’s becoming a pattern": Frustration starting to show for Gian van Veen amid constant final losses

For the third time this Premier League season, Gian van Veen reached the final of a league night. And for the third time, the top prize slipped away. In Belfast, the Dutchman fell at the last hurdle against Stephen Bunting, who struck with a 6-2 win to claim his first nightly victory of the season.

The road to the final was impressive. Van Veen kept his cool against home favorite Josh Rock, who fired in a nine-darter while trailing 5-1. The Northern Irishman and the crowd erupted, but Van Veen stayed composed and still closed out the match.

In the semifinals came a fine 6-5 win over Gerwyn Price, the man who had knocked out Michael van Gerwen earlier in the evening. Everything seemed to be falling into place for a first weekly title in his debut year in the Premier League Darts.

But in the final it stalled again. Bunting, who had not won a match in this edition until Thursday night, proved sharp and clinical. After victories over Luke Humphries and Jonny Clayton, “The Bullet” also made short work of Van Veen.

The Dutchman was visibly frustrated afterwards. “The quarterfinal was fine, the semifinal was good and then you think in the final: now it has to happen, and then it’s again—feels to me—dramatic,” he analyzed via a video link with Viaplay.

The recurring disappointment is beginning to bite. “People know that I keep losing finals lately. Then you get Bunting and you play so poorly.. I hoped it was a one-off, but now it’s becoming a pattern and you don’t want that. You just need to win one. Then hopefully it’s done.”

Bunting capitalized fully. Last year he lost his first eight Premier League matches, only to win a night in week nine. This time it took less long: after three weeks without a win, he struck in week four. The reward: £10,000 and five points.

Van Veen had to settle for three points. That puts him on nine points, good for second place behind leader Jonny Clayton, who has collected eleven. The form is there, the results are coming, but the final step is still missing. Van Veen knows he is on the right path. “If you keep doing this, you’ll be in the O2 Arena soon enough, but it’s about time I win a final.”

Next week, Van Veen gets another chance in Cardiff to claim the weekly title in the Premier League Darts. As number two in the standings, he will face Jonny Clayton, the current leader.