Gian van Veen booked his place in the quarterfinals of the World Matchplay on Wednesday night after a nerve-racking all-Dutch clash. At the Winter Gardens, the world number three edged Wessel Nijman 14-12 after extra legs. A phenomenal 148 checkout at a crucial moment proved the decisive blow.
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The duel between the two Dutch stars fully lived up to expectations. Neither player managed to pull away, meaning a winner only emerged after 26 legs. Van Veen kept his cool in the closing stages and secured a spot among the last eight.
Afterwards, the 24-year-old from Brabant visibly savored the hard-fought win. “Yes, that’s very nice. One hundred percent, what a thriller,” was his first reaction on Viaplay. “The whole match was neck and neck. First two sessions at 4-1, then it leveled again. When you win 14-12, that’s just wonderful.”
Strong start laid the foundation
Van Veen admitted he didn’t play his very best, but also saw Nijman struggle to get out of the blocks. He capitalized fully by taking the opening session convincingly.
“I wasn’t great, but Wessel was really poor at the start. I knew I had to make that count. So I was happy to win that session 4-1, because I knew he’d get going at some point.”
That is exactly what happened. Nijman battled back into the match and put Van Veen under heavy pressure late on. Still, the winner struck at the decisive moments.
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Van Veen speaking post match.
148 checkout as turning point
At 11-10 to Nijman, the match seemed to be swinging the North Hollander’s way. Van Veen, however, stood firm with a spectacular 148 checkout, a moment that flipped the contest completely. “Scoring was fine before that, lots of tons and 140s, but that first dart just wouldn’t land right.”
Everything clicked at the key moment. “Up until that 148. The first dart was perfect and then I knew it would go out. That’s exactly how it felt. It’s a great feeling.”
The release after the finish was huge. Van Veen roared out his emotions and used the momentum to wrestle the match his way.
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Notable moment with Nijman
Even after the 12-12 equalizer there was another curious moment. Nijman offered his compatriot a fist bump, which took Van Veen slightly by surprise. “I did think for a second: is this right?”
Shortly after, Van Veen settled it with a strong 12-darter and a commanding last leg.
VAN VEEN DEFEATS NIJMAN!
What a battle between the Dutchmen 🔥
Gian van Veen takes the scalp of Wessel Nijman in a dramatic tie-break contest, triumphing 14-12 to reach the quarter-finals 🌟
The victory is a major boost for Van Veen, who had not always hit his desired level in recent months. After kidney stone surgery, he struggled to maintain last season’s form.
“Last year my scoring was excellent and my finishing good; this year both were a bit off. But at this tournament it’s coming back. Today was fine and I’m very happy about that. On to the quarterfinals.”
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