Noppert with great confidence ahead of World Darts Championship: "I have won against everyone, so why shouldn't I"

Danny Noppert starts his World Darts Championship campaign on Thursday 23 December. 'The Freeze' is the eighteenth seed in the first round and will take on the winner of the match between Jason Heaver and Gordon Mathers.

Noppert had a very strong year, including a semi-final at the World Grand Prix and a quarter-final at the European Championships. It seems as if the 30-year-old Dutchman has made his breakthrough this year. "Well, I don't see it that way myself. I did not come from nowhere. I have been working on the road for a long time and it goes better every year.

"Look, I was in the BDO World Darts Championship final of course. At the PDC it goes steadily and indeed this year I am improving in many tournaments. It is finally coming out on TV. Hopefully I can continue that at the World Championships. Maybe it is because I am less tense. I have found my peace. I still expect a lot from myself, but I have become more relaxed. Partly because of the results, I have much more self confidence," Noppert said to Sportnieuws.nl.

Off the oche, Noppert had a difficult period with the death of his father. "It's not nice and it's certainly difficult, but it has also given me a piece of peace. My mother passed away in 2017 and that hit my father hard. He was gradually getting worse and worse and it was inevitable. So it was not sudden. It was a very difficult period, also with my brothers. Now that he has died, I feel more at peace with it. Harsh to say, but it has also given us peace.

Noppert is often described as a cool character by fellow darters, maybe that's why the nickname 'The Freeze' fits him extra well. "Haha yes, but also because I am a born and bred Frisian. But it is true, people think I am cool on stage and that there is nothing to notice about me. Whether it goes well or badly. That I never really bail out and things like that. Well, I can tell you that a lot of things happen to me inside. I used to get so angry with myself. If I scored a 60, I would get furious inside and I would have to pump in 140s and 180s afterwards. That doesn't make you play better darts. Now I am more positive and relaxed. That's also because of the results, of course.

At the World Grand Prix Noppert got involved in an altercation with Michael van Gerwen, Vincent van der Voort on the other hand complained about Noppert's swerving darts. "Oh well, that's part of it. We have already spoken about it. And about those dart. Yes, it is true that they fly funny with me. I always throw like that, with a crossbow. It's also because of the flights that they swing more, but that works for me. If that bothers them, that's their problem."

So the question is whether anyone can stop Noppert at the World Darts Championship? "Well I can win just like anyone. I think I can go really far at the World Darts Championship, further than other years. I have won against everyone, so why shouldn't I be able to at the World Championship. It starts on Wednesday, good. I want to reach the fourth round anyway, that's my goal.