"I used to have nerves even doing an interview" - Mike de Decker relaxed and ready for Players Championship Finals tilt

The second last major of the year gets underway today in Minehead. Mike De Decker takes on Richard Veenstra in the first round of the Players Championship Finals.

De Decker, who managed to win his first career Players Championship this year, will start the tournament as the sixteenth series leader. "I'm looking forward to it," De Decker told Het Nieuwsblad. "I look at it match by match, I always have. Veenstra is not to be underestimated, he can also be serious at times. We'll see."

The 28-year-old Belgian feels increasingly comfortable on stage. "Yes (laughs). A year ago, I never thought I could say something like that. I feel much more confident and everything around it doesn't interest me anymore, like the cameras and interviews. I even used to have nerves to do an interview, that's completely a thing of the past."

De Decker fell 10-9 to eventual winner Luke Littler in the second round of the Grand Slam of Darts last week. De Decker was ahead for a long time and even had a matchdart, but partly due to unsportsmanlike behavior from the crowd, it was still Littler who walked away with the win. "The frustration passed," De Decker said. "That night itself I was pretty p**** off. It wasn't fun lol."

"We both threw a hell of a game and then it's kind of lost in such a way ... That's a shame. Plus: the fact that I had indicated to referee Kirk Bevins to please do something about it, without anything actually happening. That's just frustrating. I understand somewhere their explanation that it might get worse, but I'm not concerned with the crowd. I'm concerned with my opponent and the officials. If I ask myself to say something about it and it doesn't happen ... Yeah, I don't get that. Other refs have done it in the past. He just didn't do anything outside of saying 'thank you' a few legs later... But look, it's over now."