"Maybe in the end, I was not 100% right": Gian van Veen has no regrets but admits Berlin return may have been too much

Gian van Veen had a disrupted build-up to Night 8 of the Premier League Darts in Berlin. That also showed on stage, as he had to concede defeat to Gerwyn Price in the quarterfinals. The 23-year-old from Poederoijen ultimately lost 6-1 and remains sixth in the table.

Van Veen, who underwent surgery for kidney stones last week, quickly noticed it wouldn’t be an easy evening on Night 8 of the Premier League Darts 2026. Price was in outstanding form and set the tone from the start, forcing the Dutchman to chase throughout. Even so, Van Veen kept fighting and at times showed why he is regarded as one of the biggest talents in world darts.

Afterwards, Van Veen was open and honest about how he felt during the match. “Maybe in the end, I was not 100% right. However for me it felt right to be here in Berlin again and I have no regrets."

The young Dutchman indicated he wasn’t entirely at his physical best, something that gets punished immediately at this level. "I struggled a bit up there, lack of energy, but I was enjoying myself playing on the big stage again and that's what it's all about."

Despite the defeat, the mood remained positive, thanks in part to the support of the German crowd. In the Berlin arena, Van Veen could count on a warm reception, which clearly did him good. "A big thank you to Berlin for the reception today and to everyone for all the messages the last couple of days, it really means the world."

Looking ahead, Van Veen is already focusing on the next round, which takes place in Manchester. There he hopes to start fitter and sharper. “Next week in Manchester I"ll be back again and hopefully in a better condition."

With his down-to-earth approach and positive mindset, Gian van Veen shows he not only has talent but also the right character to keep developing. The defeat to Price in Berlin will undoubtedly sting for a moment, but above all seems a new step in his learning process at the highest level of the darts world.