"I think you just jinxed it": Gian van Veen reminded of near flawless record over Josh Rock ahead of Riesa clash

Gian van Veen thumped debutant Paul Goyer 6-1 to reach the second round of the International Darts Open in Riesa but he was full of praise for his opponent.

Van Veen spoke after the match concluded and said that he hadn't heard of him but was relieved when he saw he had a similar pace which suited his game. He said that he hopes he will qualify for another European Tour this year.

"I lost the first leg, I missed too many darts at doubles. Quite far away to be honest, he deserved that first leg and like you say it was one way traffic. He played a good game, he's made a lot of experience so it's going to be a good day for him," said Van Veen.

Read also

Michael Smith's woes continue as Martin Schindler storms through in style at International Darts Open

"Of course he lost but I'm sure he will be back. I follow lots of darts but I did not know him. I saw him in the practice room and saw he was a young guy playing fast and thought that's good. So that was good for my game. He's got a lot of experience gained today. Hopefully he's going to qualify for another European Tour."

Next up is Josh Rock. He has won seven out of their eight ties thus far and he joked that MC Philip Brzezinski jinxed him. But while he reads nothing into it, he hopes that he can provide a spectacle for a packed house with 5,000 expected on Saturday evening.

"I think you just jinxed it. We played each other in Gottingen two weeks ago, it was a good game I managed to win that game but tomorrow's going to be another good game. Hopefully it's going to be a fully packed crowd."

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Unlock your ultimate darts experience—subscribe today for exclusive access to top stories.

Subscribe