"I think he is tensing up just a little bit at the moment" - Van der Voort believes Van Veen made error in playing Premier League event after operation

This week, Gian van Veen showed there is light at the end of the tunnel again with a win over Gerwyn Price in the Premier League Darts during Night 12 in Liverpool.

Still, Vincent van der Voort believes the young Dutchman has clearly been performing below his level in recent weeks. According to the former pro, Van Veen has hardly been himself since his kidney stone surgery.

Van Veen enjoyed a strong spell at the start of this year and established himself as a regular in the world’s top tier. But since his hospital stay, operation, and subsequent recovery, his game has become more erratic.

Physically and mentally, the 23-year-old Dutchman also does not appear fully back yet. On the Sportnieuws.nl Darts Draait Door podcast, Van der Voort shared his view on the situation. "You miss that sparkle in him," he said.

According to Van der Voort, the contrast with the Van Veen of six months ago is striking. Where the darter previously appeared energetic, relaxed, and visibly cheerful, he now sees a player who is struggling.

"Last year he was running around faster and joking more and such. I do notice that he is a bit affected," said Van der Voort, who spoke with Van Veen behind the scenes in recent weeks during the Premier League and on the Euro Tour.

He also spots signs on stage that things aren’t coming naturally at the moment. "He didn't play a good match again and his darts aren't set up right at the moment either. When that happens to you as a player, it is very unpleasant. You are inclined to start throwing differently to fix it. You don't get that back overnight and it starts to eat away at you. You can see that in him too."

Van der Voort thinks it’s still too early to be truly worried about Van Veen, given his young age and proven qualities. However, he believes the Dutchman may not have done himself a favour by returning to the top level so quickly.

"We shouldn't forget that operation either. He says he isn't bothered anymore, but neither was I when my appendix was removed. But to play again like before, that is something else entirely."

Van der Voort points to Van Veen’s comeback during the Premier League night in Berlin, shortly after his medical procedure. “I think he made a mistake by going back to Berlin too soon for the Premier League Darts. He said that three days earlier he was completely exhausted after ten minutes."

According to Van der Voort, the difficult spell is now also affecting the way Van Veen stands at the oche. Where the Dutchman previously threw with freedom, he now sees a player searching for his game.

"You see with players who aren't going well that the tension is palpable. You notice that he isn't loose, and that is exactly what you want to instill in him: he needs to throw as freely as possible. I think he is tensing up just a little bit at the moment."

According to Van der Voort, Van Veen wants to regain rhythm and confidence by playing more Players Championship events. A logical choice, says the former top darter. "He is a sensible guy and doesn't get into trouble. He really does think things through and doesn't do crazy things.”

At the same time, Van der Voort knows from experience how mentally tough such a phase can be. “But it eats away at you. Then you start worrying and lying in bed thinking about what needs to change. It is quite exhausting to figure out what the cause is. I hope he gets it sorted out soon."