"Just didn’t want to play darts anymore because I was mentally down": Jeffrey de Zwaan turned to unlikely DJ career after Tour Card loss

Behind the scenes at the MODUS Super Series in Portsmouth, where darters of all calibers showcase their skills daily, a familiar name suddenly appears. Not a man dominating the headlines right now, but someone who once belonged to the absolute world elite: Jeffrey de Zwaan. The 30-year-old Dutchman, nicknamed “The Black Cobra,” looks back with complete openness on his career, his mental battle, and the rediscovery of his love for darts.

De Zwaan is honest. Perhaps more honest than ever. His story doesn’t begin with triumph, but with doubt. “To be honest, I didn’t really do anything in darts this whole year. I don’t even practice because I have a busy life at home—I’m working full-time now and also working on my DJ career. Three weeks ago, I released my first track as well," he said to MODUS.

Darts? That was on the back burner for quite a while. After losing his PDC Tour Card at the start of 2024, the fire seemed to have gone out. “I just didn’t want to play darts anymore because I was mentally down. I was done.”

Those are words you rarely hear from a player who once ranked inside the world’s top 20. But that makes his story all the more human. And yet, as so often in sport, the pull proved irresistible. “After a couple of months, I started realising that I want to play darts again—and that’s why I’m here now. I just want to enjoy darts again.”

De Zwaan broke through in a spell when he was effortlessly firing high averages and could mix it with the world’s best. Around 2020–2021 he was firmly inside the world’s top 20. But then misfortune struck. A stubborn shoulder injury threw a spanner in the works. “You know you’re capable, but you don’t perform. And as a sportsman, you want to perform.”

On top of that came the constant pressure of defending prize money and ranking positions within the PDC. “Also dealing with the pressure—that is really a lot. That’s the tough part.”

Ironically, De Zwaan now sees losing his PDC Tour Card as a blessing. “I think the best thing what I got this year is losing my tour card. I got back to a healthy mentality and started enjoying it again.”

The love for darts began at a young age. At ten, De Zwaan asked for a dartboard for his birthday, inspired by watching the Lakeside tournament on television. Initially, however, his future seemed to lie on the football pitch. As a talented midfielder at a local club, a career in that sport looked likely. But physical issues got in the way.

“After every football game I just had back problems, so that’s why I went for darts instead.”

That choice proved golden. At a young age he impressed at youth tournaments within the Dutch system. His talent was unmistakable.

His real breakthrough came in 2018. De Zwaan won a Players Championship event that year and qualified for the World Matchplay in Blackpool—the stage where he truly made his name. What followed was a sensational run. In the first round he beat none other than Michael van Gerwen, then the undisputed world number one.

“I heard he said it would be an easy one, so I was thinking, ‘Alright, I can show you something then.’ That was the feeling I had—I needed to get him.”

And he did. He then took care of Adrian Lewis and Dave Chisnall, before falling in the semi-finals to Gary Anderson, who would go on to win the tournament.

“I think that was really the breakthrough of my career and showed what I can produce.”

Success brings expectations. And that’s where it started to pinch. “You’re feeling that you’re now kind of one of the guys, and you still want to perform. The expectations of everyone get a little bit more.”

Appearances on big stages, such as the Premier League Darts, brought both highs and added tension. His outing in Rotterdam, in front of 10,000 raucous fans, remains etched in his memory. “Goosebumps. When I went on stage and saw 10,000 people all in orange shouting my name—that’s a feeling you can’t describe.”

Another key moment in his career was his match against Peter Wright at the 2020 World Championship. After trailing 3–0, De Zwaan battled back to 3–3, only to lose in a nerve-wracking decider.

“I was 3–0 down and just thought, ‘Alright, just enjoy the game.’ Then it went 3–1, 3–2, 3–3 and I thought maybe I had a chance—but he still beat me.”

It sums up his career: flashes of brilliance, interspersed with moments when it just doesn’t quite come together.

The Covid pandemic was another blow. Matches without crowds, isolation in hotels—it wore him down. “I’m really a social guy. Living in that time was hard, definitely.”

His performances dipped. Where he once effortlessly averaged 95 to 100, that fell significantly.

“It was normally like 95 or 100, and then it was like 85 or 80, so I was already feeling it was going downhill.”

Now, in 2026, De Zwaan seems to have found calm. He works full-time, is building a career as a DJ, and plays darts when he feels like it. But make no mistake: the ambition hasn’t gone.

“I’m feeling alright, mentally good, and now I can probably try to get it back where I belong.”

The big question remains: can Jeffrey de Zwaan return to the highest level? He remains realistic, yet hopeful. “I think I can still perform. I can still be a good dart player—but we’ll see what happens.”

What’s certain is that his story isn’t finished. There may not be a second peak like in 2018. Then again, there might. But one thing is sure: De Zwaan is playing with joy again. And sometimes, especially in a ruthless sport like darts, that’s the biggest victory of all.