"It's all about Cammy's health": Gian van Veen puts Menzies first amid earlier start time after sudden World Matchplay withdrawal
PDCWednesday, 22 July 2026 at 23:37
Gian van Veen managed to see off Wessel Nijman in a thriller taking down his compatriot in a decider to reach the Quarter-Final of the World Matchplay for the second time.
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He took out a huge 148 checkout to save the match before claiming it 14-12 as he produced when it mattered most in a highly touted tie that was brought forward. Van Veen said the health of Cameron Menzies was paramount.
Menzies was taken ill during his tie with Ross Smith and so Van Veen had to play an hour earlier and he said that the Scot was most important, not his start time as he spoke to the media, including DartsNews.com.
"I feel over the moon. I knew it was going to be tough today and Wessel showed up during the game. He probably let me off in the first five legs, but after that it became a really close contest. I'm just so glad to get the win," said Van Veen to the media including DartsNews.com.
Asked if it was his best performance and that he looked himself again with his big finishes and stage presence, he said that over a long format that it was.
"Over a long format, yes. I think my game against Jonny Clayton in New York was probably my best performance, but over this format this is definitely one of the best matches I've played since the World Championship.
"I'm really pleased with the win. My scoring was good enough and my finishing was excellent, especially in the big pressure moments. I think that's what got me over the line."
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With the Cameron Menzies health issues, Van Veen had to play an hour earlier and he took the pragmatic approach that while it wasn't ideal, the health of Menzies was the most important thing.
"It wasn't ideal, but at the majors I always arrive early because of the media commitments and the fans wanting autographs.
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"What happened with Cammy obviously wasn't ideal for my preparation, but his health is the most important thing. Once I knew he was OK and heading back to his accommodation, I just focused on my own match. It wasn't ideal, but it was exactly the same for Wessel.
"I don't think it's happened before. As soon as I got the call saying I was playing in 50 minutes, of course I wasn't happy. But again, it wasn't about me. It was about Cammy. Once I knew he was OK, I just accepted it and focused on the match.
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"Wessel and I spoke about it. It wasn't ideal, but the conditions were exactly the same for both of us."
Asked if his experience perhaps helped his cause, Van Veen said that it can't really be accounted for as such.
"Maybe, but I can't speak for Wessel.He's been phenomenal this year on the ProTour, the European Tour and at the majors. He played well today as well and was maybe a little unlucky. I can't say my experience won me the match, but I certainly felt comfortable on stage. Even during the tie-break I never felt uncomfortable, despite being under pressure. That's probably where my experience helped me."
Future World Cup team with Nijman?
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But going towards the tie-break, it was also one that was fraught with pressure. "There's a lot of pressure. The World Championship is different because it's set play, but deciding legs in sets carry huge pressure too.
"Here, when you're 10-9 or 11-10 down, you know that if you lose the leg you're out. That 148 finish really got me through the match. Looking back, it's probably one of the biggest shots I've hit in my career."
He touched upon Nijman and whether he sees himself in his compatriot while he was quick to point out that in reality Nijman has achieved more. "A little bit. He's actually achieved more than I have on the floor. He's won a lot of Players Championship events, whereas I've only won one. He's won two European Tour titles and I haven't won any.
"But the majors are where it really counts. He hasn't reached a major quarter-final yet, while I've reached another one, played in a World Championship final and won the European Championship.
"So on the major stage I'm ahead, but outside of that he's ahead. It's quite similar overall. If he keeps playing the way he has over the last 12 months, I'm sure he'll get there."
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Wessel Nijman to team with GVV in the future.
But that he does see the future World Cup team perhaps being that pairing too. "If he keeps playing like that, absolutely. I've known Wessel since we were about 12 or 13 years old. We get along really well. I wouldn't say he's my closest friend, but we have a good relationship.
"If we end up representing the Netherlands together at the World Cup next year, I'd be very happy. He's a quality player and I think we'd have a really good chance of winning the title—provided the two Lukes don't turn up."
Samuel GillChief Content Officer
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.
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