“It’s going to be very tough” – Gian van Veen eyes Ally Pally revenge against Littler in Riyadh

Gian van Veen knows exactly what is waiting for him in the quarter-finals of the 2026 Saudi Arabia Darts Masters in Riyadh.

After closing out a composed 6-2 win over Motomu Sakai, the World Youth Champion now faces Luke Littler in the quarter finals, a direct rematch of their recent 2026 PDC World Darts Championship final earlier this month.

“It’s going to be very tough tomorrow,” Van Veen said in his post-match interview with Online Darts afterwards. “Especially with the draw I’ve got tomorrow, with Littler and then maybe Price or Humphries. It’s going to be very tough, but I know that with that route as well, if I lift the title, I really deserve it.”

It is not just another match. It is the first chance since Ally Pally for Van Veen to measure himself again against the man who denied him the biggest prize of all.

Van Veen’s route to that showdown was built with control rather than fireworks.

He held throw in the opening leg against Motomu Sakai, then broke on double 19 for a 2-0 lead. A key last dart on double 18 stretched that to 3-0, even after Sakai had applied pressure with a smart setup.

Sakai finally got on the board in leg four on double 18 and then briefly threatened a fightback by breaking Van Veen with a 68 checkout on double 16 to close the gap to 3-2.

Van Veen responded immediately. He broke straight back with a 47 finish in two darts, restored his two-leg cushion, and then found a last dart double 14 to move one away at 5-2. Another double 18 sealed the match and confirmed his place in the last eight.

After watching most of the PDC stars safely navigate the opening round before him, Van Veen admitted there was extra pressure in being last on stage.

“I’m satisfied,” he said. “It felt a bit nervy at the start. You see all the other players winning, well, except one, but you see a lot of the big names win, so there’s a bit of extra pressure being on last. You want to join them on finals day, and I’ve done that. Scoring was good, a bit itchy on the doubles here and there, but I’m happy.”

The Saudi Arabia Darts Masters is a first for everyone involved, and Van Veen said adapting has been part of the challenge.

“It’s very different,” he said. “The atmosphere, it felt a bit cold on stage as well, but it’s part of it. It’s a new experience for me today. There are going to be many more new experiences this year, so it’s good to get this one out of the way.”

He also spoke about what it meant to be part of the first darts event in the Kingdom. “It’s something to be proud of,” he said. “A lot of other sports have come to Saudi Arabia, and now darts as well. To be one of the eight PDC faces to represent our sport here is fantastic. And who knows, maybe we’re going to be back in the next couple of years.”

Off the stage, the change in surroundings has been just as noticeable. “It’s very different,” Van Veen said. “Just walking around the city, you feel a different vibe, even compared to Bahrain, which isn’t really that far from here. It’s a new experience and I’m enjoying it. Probably tomorrow I’m going to wander around the city and soak up some more of it.”

The speed of Van Veen’s rise is something he is still trying to process. “Yeah, of course,” he said when asked if he would have believed this a year ago. “I knew last year what I was capable of. I had a decent 2024, but 2025 was really my breakthrough year. I would never have expected to be here, to be top four in the world, to play in the Premier League. I keep pinching myself every day.”

That sense of disbelief is matched by how quickly his life has changed. “A little bit,” he said when asked if he is getting used to it. “I’m getting there, I think. The World Championship was very hectic, then the World Series in Bahrain, now Saudi. It’s fantastic. I’m enjoying every minute of it and hopefully it’s going to continue for many more years.”

Now, though, the focus narrows again.

Standing between Gian van Veen and another major moment is Luke Littler. Ally Pally still hangs in the air, but Riyadh now offers the first chance to answer it. Different stage, different setting, same opponent and a quarter-final that will say a lot about how far his whirlwind start to 2026 can really go.