"I honestly never once thought I was going to lose to him": Niels Zonneveld left bitterly frustrated by World Matchplay dramatic debut defeat
PDCSunday, 19 July 2026 at 09:30
Niels Zonneveld narrowly missed out on a sensational upset on his World Matchplay debut. The 27-year-old Dutchman delivered a gripping contest on Saturday evening in the iconic Empress Ballroom at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool against ninth seed Stephen Bunting, but after a decisive sudden-death leg he had to accept a 13-12 defeat to the Englishman.
ADVERTISEMENT
It was Zonneveld’s first appearance on the prestigious stage of the World Matchplay and he clearly relished it. To the sounds of The Nights by the late Avicii, “Triple Z” made his entrance and immediately showed he was unfazed by the occasion.
In the opening phase, Zonneveld was even the stronger scorer. With convincing visits he kept Bunting under constant pressure, but on the doubles the Dutchman left too many chances unused. That proved costly. Bunting took full advantage, broke Zonneveld’s throw straight away and carried a lead into the first interval.
Read also
The Englishman remained highly clinical after the break as well. When Bunting produced another break at 7-5, the match seemed to be slipping from the Dutchman’s grasp. Yet Zonneveld refused to yield. He found an impressive surge at exactly the right moment.
With back-to-back 10-dart legs, Zonneveld hauled himself right back into it. Moments later came arguably the moment of the match from a Dutch perspective. With a phenomenal 164 checkout he levelled at 8-8 and brought the Empress Ballroom to its feet.
Missed match darts prove costly
The comeback continued fittingly when Zonneveld held his own leg convincingly. Suddenly, a sensational win over a player who featured in this year’s Premier League Darts beckoned. The Dutchman even had three match darts to seal it. None of those chances found the mark, however. As a result, the match had to be decided in extra time.
ADVERTISEMENT
Because Zonneveld had won the bull before the match, he held the advantage of throwing first in a potential deciding leg. Both players felt the tension rise and the quality visibly dipped as the match reached its climax. At 12-12 a sudden-death leg had to provide the answer.
Niels Zonneveld lost 13-12 to Stephen Bunting
At that decisive moment, Zonneveld’s game stalled. The Dutchman could barely produce a big score, while Bunting did enough to give himself opportunities. In the end, the Englishman needed four match darts to close it out. Afterward, Bunting went straight to his shaken opponent to console him.
“I felt better than him the whole match”
The disappointment was immense for Zonneveld, who felt he had let the match slip. “I honestly never once thought I was going to lose to him,” he told Viaplay afterward. “I felt better than him the whole match. Pff…,” sighed the visibly emotional Dutchman.
ADVERTISEMENT
According to Zonneveld, the cause of the defeat lay entirely with himself. The missed doubles at crucial moments ultimately proved fatal. “In the end I lose it in a last leg, that’s just incredibly bitter. I have to hit three match darts, then you win. This one should have been mine,” was his painful conclusion.
Despite the elimination, Zonneveld can look back on a performance that showed he belongs on the stage of one of the year’s biggest televised tournaments. Against an experienced player like Bunting he was the better darter for long stretches, but at the decisive moment the killer blow was missing. That will hurt for a while, but his World Matchplay debut has also shown that Zonneveld can compete with the world’s best at this level.
Samuel GillChief Content Officer
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.
claps 1visitors 1
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- How many times can fatty Bunting say listen, listen, listen....... I definitely don't want to see him for another 10 years, although looking at him, I don't think we will...you know what I mean.richieburnettrocks19-07-2026
- Don't worry Vinman, England will not be in the final.richieburnettrocks16-07-2026
- Ultimately, Vin man knew when to call it quits. Barney was excellent and one of the greatest darts player ever, but he just doesn't have that ability anymore. Vinman working in media is only saying what he thinks and I like how he doesn't sugar coat things and is completely honest and direct with his comments. Vinman will probably agree he wasn't really on the same level as Barney in their respective heydays.richieburnettrocks13-07-2026
- I agree that this season the format was a bit stale, it would be better to have some new faces rotated in through the season. I also think they should vary the format a bit as it doesn't count for rankings, they could have different varieties of 501 (e.g. double start) or just different challenges.mikedarts03-07-2026
- I don't really understand why its an issue that Littler doesn't play in the events, they are barely televised so there is no draw for marketing and it gives the other players a better chance to define their narratives. The events are more of a throw back to old events. I agree that the format should be looked at, I don't know why they don't do a more interesting format or vary it through the season to improve interestmikedarts03-07-2026
- This shows they have the prize money structure wrong then (and OoM as a result). Put more £ into the floor, less on the TV and you'll attract more players to attend more often.BandB03-07-2026
- He's admitted his mistakes. He won't be the first or last player to get sent down,or take drugs. I honestly didn't like the lad,but at least he's owning up to his issues. So,good luck. In whatever he decides to dorick6702-07-2026
- Not everyone wants to watch pub players throwing 70 averages for about £500. Premier League is indeed a cash cow, but it does its job of promoting the game. This new suggestion for changes is one of the better ones. Even better if everyone knew what they had to do to qualify and it isn't just a walk-on popularity contest.StraightArrowNoBull01-07-2026
- I have a suggestion,scrap the whole thing. It's a pointless cash cow for anyone in the top 10.rick6730-06-2026
- Well nobody made him bet!! It's his own fault,if wants to lose money,then he shouldn't call Gerwyn out! He averaged 103,I would think the losing betting idiot could average 40! If you don't want to risk losing,keep your money in your pocket!rick6728-06-2026
Loading