"I was like just get it done and I got it done and don’t really matter how" – Dirk van Duijvenbode delighted to get win by any means necessary in Gottingen

Dirk van Duijvenbode booked a convincing 6–2 win over Mario Vandenbogaerde to reach the next round of the European Darts Trophy. A glance at the score might suggest the Dutchman delivered a dominant display. According to Van Duijvenbode himself, however, the reality was different.

After his opening-round victory at the European Darts Trophy, he was strikingly candid about his performance. He was happy with the result but less impressed with his own level. He felt his game simply wasn’t there. So during the match he deliberately chose a different approach: no focus on averages or aesthetics, just on getting the win.

Van Duijvenbode admitted that even before the match he sensed it wouldn’t be a top night. Despite good practice sessions leading into the tournament, he noticed during warm-up that things weren’t quite clicking.

“In the end I’m happy with the win and I told myself at some point because I knew I was not playing very well,” he said. “Today I’m not on my best. We’ve been practising so well, a few practise games back to my top level 2023, but I didn’t feel it in practise either. So I knew I was like okay today I’m not on my best.”

That realization shaped the way he approached the match. “Make sure you win. So don’t be bothered about your averages, how quick the leg is, how you win it. Win it. That’s the only thing I had in mind and I had to remind myself during the game because obviously when you’re in the game, adrenaline and you still feel like oh it’s so bad. I was like no, no, no, come on, we’re here to win and we win and tomorrow we can be better because I already knew practising that it wasn’t going to be good today.”

That is precisely why Van Duijvenbode had to teach himself a different mindset during the match. Instead of worrying about statistics or the level of his play, he decided to focus entirely on the result. Normally, that approach is difficult for a player with his standards.

“Yeah and to be fair, normally I can’t take this approach because I’m so, how you call it, I have such high standards for myself,” he explained. “I’m literally never not happy when I don’t hit a 98 average but I had to change that today because I knew in front that it’s never going to be a good average.”

Once he accepted that reality, the task became simple: finish the job. “I was like just get it done and I got it done and don’t really matter how.”

In professional darts it’s well known: not every match can be a spectacle. Even the world’s best have days when the level simply isn’t what they’re used to. In those moments, finding a way to win remains crucial.

Van Duijvenbode is now keenly aware of that. Although he normally places great value on his performance and statistics, he acknowledged that matches like this are sometimes unavoidable. By adjusting his mentality and focusing purely on the outcome, he managed to keep control of the match and close it out comfortably.

With the win secured, Van Duijvenbode can now turn his attention to his next match against Rob Cross. He hopes to get closer to his top level there.

The signs from practice at least give him confidence that it’s possible. The performance might not have been perfect, but the result was exactly what he needed to move forward in the tournament.