"In my mind I’m the better player. This is the type of game you want": Kevin Doets labels David Munyua tie a 'dream draw'

Kevin Doets has once again shown why he has developed into a mainstay at the World Darts Championship in recent years. After his 3–1 first-round win over Matthew Dennant, the Dutchman spoke with striking calm, confidence, and realism about his match, his development, and his ambitions for this tournament. The way Doets analyzes, puts things in perspective, and looks ahead reveals a player who knows exactly where he stands.

The match did not start ideally for Doets. “I think I was a bit sloppy in the first set. I missed some doubles and he took it,” he admitted. “I was 1–0 down, but like the past two years, I’ve been behind in games and it doesn’t worry me. I don’t get stressed.”

At 1–1, Doets remained convinced of his own ability. “At 1–0 down, I was still thinking, I’m the better player, so I’m going to win it — and that’s what happened.” It’s a statement that says a lot about his mental growth. Where he might have doubted before, Doets now seems to draw strength from difficult moments.

That confidence doesn’t come out of nowhere. Doets now has a strong track record on this stage and reached the last 16 last year. When asked why this tournament suits him so well, he paused for a moment.

“I don’t really know exactly what it is,” he said. “This is the tournament you work towards the whole year, and as soon as you get here it’s just a different feeling compared to every other tournament.”

According to Doets, his focus at the Worlds is unmatched. “This is where you want to perform, this is where you are going to perform. The focus I have here is something I don’t have anywhere else.” It explains why he often seems to rise above himself at the World Championship.

In his match, experience ultimately proved decisive. His opponent squandered key chances late on, while Doets struck. “I think it was experience,” he analysed. “He hasn’t played on that stage before. He doesn’t know the pressure of the Worlds — the pressure of the prize money and everything. I do.”

It was precisely in the crucial moments that Doets knew what needed to be done. “He missed his chances to take it all the way, and I took mine. That’s purely experience.” It’s a recurring theme in his story: knowing what is required when the tension is highest.

In the next round, Doets faces David Munyua, who caused a stir by beating Mike De Decker. Doets watched that match live and actually expected to face De Decker. “To be fair, I watched the game live yesterday — him and Mike,” Doets said. “Of course, if I won my game, I was expecting to play Mike in the second round. When David won, it actually gave me a bit of extra pressure.”

Still, Doets calls the match a “dream draw.” “Mike is the better player, and that would’ve been like a dream draw for me in the second round,” he explained. “Of course David is a great player, but in my mind I’m the better player. This is the type of game you want. This is the draw you want in the second round if you want to go further in the tournament.”

Those words may sound confident, but they are anything but arrogant. They stem from a clear self-image and a defined ambition.

The Worlds have already seen plenty of upsets, with wins for the likes of Joe Comito, Nitin Kumar, and Munyua himself. Doets admitted that this crossed his mind.

“It was on my mind yesterday and this morning, because those things happened in the first round,” he said. “But I’ve got past that now. The second round is going to be different. I don’t think there will be as many upsets.”

According to Doets, there is a big opportunity to reach the third round, provided he maintains his level. “I played a decent game — not my best, but not my worst either,” he said. “I played alright, and I think it’s only going to get better from now on.”

His view on playing as the favourite was also interesting. De Decker previously commented on booing from the crowd, something that wouldn’t bother Doets at all.

“I don’t think that would bother me at all,” he said. “That’s part of the game. The crowd loves the underdog. As soon as they see the underdog has a chance, they’ll support them and go against the favourite.”

Doets sees it as his job to prevent that scenario. “My goal is just to never give him that chance. That’s my goal.”

Does he feel comfortable in the role of favourite? “It hasn’t happened often that I’ve been the favourite on this stage, but it doesn’t really matter to me,” he said. “I’m there to play my game.”

According to Doets, the first match is always the toughest. “I played a decent game today, and I feel like I’ll play a lot better next game,” he added. “Once the first game is out of the way, the pressure comes off and you can play your own darts.”

Doets is also looking beyond this World Championship. When asked what he needs to qualify consistently for the big events, such as the World Matchplay and the World Grand Prix, he was clear. “I think I’ve already made that next step.”

A key factor lies away from the stage. Since September, Doets has been able to practice more. “From the beginning to the middle of September, I started practicing a lot more because my son started school,” he explained. “Before that, my situation at home wasn’t great for practice.”

That has had an immediate effect. “In tough situations, I’m able to get myself out of it because of my confidence from practice — and that’s something I hadn’t really experienced before.” His conclusion says it all: “Now I’m practicing a lot, I’m playing a lot, and my confidence is very high right now.”