“It was quite difficult for me to keep everything under control” – Ricardo Pietreczko speaks openly about nerves on European Tour comeback

For Ricardo Pietreczko, it was an intense start to his 2026 European Tour campaign. At the German Darts Grand Prix at Zenith Munich, the German edged past Ian White 6-5 in a hard-fought match on Saturday evening. The decider win marked his first European Tour victory of the year — and, apparently, an unusually nerve-racking experience.

Pietreczko’s tension was clear, especially in the deciding leg. With 49 remaining, he overdrew on a shot at single 17 and hit the treble 17 instead — a rare moment of uncertainty from a player otherwise known for his composure on the big stage.

His first reaction after the match was understandably mixed. “My feelings are a bit mixed, to be honest. Ian White and I know each other very well,” Pietreczko explained in an exclusive interview with DartsNews (YouTube). "So it makes it a bit harder for me to celebrate the win. Also, it wasn’t really a good game. But in the end, a win is a win, and we’ll see what happens tomorrow."

Pietreczko mainly put the lack of his usual assurance down to the specific circumstances at the start of the season. “I think it was a mix of things. It’s my first European Tour event of the year, and it was also very important for the Order of Merit and qualifying for upcoming events. So it was quite difficult for me to keep everything under control."

Yet the 30-year-old had shown decent stability on the Pro Tour in recent weeks. Two board finals and a last 16 underlined his growing consistency on the floor. “I’d say I’ve been more consistent again on the floor. If you look at the last two years, it wasn’t really that good. In the last Players Championship block, I was a bit inconsistent, but overall it’s been relatively steady again. Let’s see if I can build on that and keep improving."

The win over White also earned Pietreczko a shot at another marquee tie: Nathan Aspinall awaits in round two, last season’s number one on the European Tour Order of Merit. There is respect — but no holding back.

“I always want to play, no matter who it’s against,” said Pietreczko. “Nathan and I have known each other for a while, and we’ve played each other quite a few times. We’ll see—the better player will win,” he added with a laugh.

Changes have also occurred off the oche for Pietreczko this year. At the start of the season, he switched his equipment supplier and now works with Precise180. “With the guys from Precise and my new prototype—which will be released soon—I feel comfortable. I’m enjoying it and looking forward to continuing to work with them."