27/08/2024

Jeffrey de Graaf qualifies for World Darts Championship for second year in a row

Jeffrey de Graaf may make another appearance at the World Darts Championship in December. The Dutchman, who currently lives in Sweden and darts on behalf of that country, qualifies for the tournament in Alexandra Palace for the second consecutive year via the PDC Nordic & Baltic Tour.

The Nordic & Baltic Tour is open to players from the Nordic and Baltic countries. Last weekend the last two tournaments of the season were played. De Graaf was already in a seat for a World Cup spot prior to the tournament weekend. He only needed to reach a quarterfinal in the final two tournaments to ensure his participation in the World Darts Championship.

"I do feel extra pressure. Especially because I'm not originally from Sweden" - Jeffrey De Graaf hoping not to let his adopted nation down at World Cup of Darts

That was the case at the first tournament after wins over Gisli Veltan (6-0) and Anton Östlund (6-0), after which De Graaf made it to the semifinals with a 6-4 win over Teemu Harju. He then lost 6-2 to Darius Labanauskas in the last four. The Lithuanian then went down 6-5 in the final against Andreas Harrysson.

Labanauskas then did win the final event of the PDCNB season. Thanks to victories over Bent Lambertsen (6-1), Niels Heinsoe (6-0), Andreas Harrysson (6-4), Cor Dekker (6-2) and Teemu Harju (6-4), 'Lucky D' followed De Graaf in qualifying for the PDC World Darts Championship.

For De Graaf, it will be the eighth time he has been allowed to participate in a world championship. Last year was the first time he managed to get past the first round. De Graaf even made it to the third round, where he lost 4-2 to Rob Cross. Labanauskas already has nine World Cup appearances to his name. In 2017, he was in the quarterfinals at Lakeside, and at the 2020 World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace, the darter from Lithuania was again in the last eight.