"Now it’s basically a golden chance at the final" – Van der Voort sees possibilities for the winner of Nijman vs Van Veen after Humphries’ early exit
PDC
The second round of the World Matchplay delivers a notable all-Dutch clash on Wednesday evening. Wessel Nijman and Gian van Veen face off in Blackpool for a place in the quarterfinals. According to Vincent van der Voort, Nijman’s current form is decisive, although he warns that Van Veen should definitely not be underestimated.
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On the Darts Draait Door podcast, Van der Voort and host Damian Vlottes discussed at length the much-anticipated clash between the two biggest Dutch talents of the moment. The former professional currently sees Nijman as the favorite but stresses that the gap between them is smaller than many think.
The surprise elimination of Luke Humphries has blown the draw wide open. Van der Voort believes that also changes Nijman’s outlook.
“I’m giving Wessel a really good chance now,” he says. “Humphries is of course still a step better than Nijman, especially when it really matters in a semifinal. Now I think he quite simply has the draw to reach the final.”
The fact that Gerwyn Price did not hit his best level in his earlier outing also offers extra opportunities, according to Van der Voort. “That gives a bit of hope. And moreover, Wessel has already shown he can beat Price. He won that European Tour final against him. So he knows he is very close to that level.”
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"Now it’s basically a golden chance at the final"
Still, Van der Voort does not want to get ahead of himself. Where an ideal route to the semifinals was previously discussed, he now sees the situation differently.
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“As the headline of the previous podcast said: a golden chance at a semifinal for Nijman. Now it’s basically a golden chance at the final.”
He immediately adds a caveat. “Only we are of course looking very far ahead now. First he still has to beat Gian van Veen and then maybe also get past James Wade. That really isn’t that simple.”
Van Veen enters the stage against Nijman.
Van der Voort then points out that Wade was far too strong for Nijman last year. “Last year he lost to Wade and Wade was fantastic. And he can also just lose to Van Veen. It’s not as if Gian suddenly can’t play anymore.”
Although the focus in recent months has mainly been on Nijman’s impressive rise, Van der Voort feels that Van Veen’s results are sometimes overlooked as a result. “We certainly shouldn’t gloss over Gian van Veen, the world number three.”
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Even so, he currently sees Nijman as the favorite. “I think it’s about sixty-forty. Closer than the other Dutch matchups, but I do think Nijman really is the favorite.”
Wessel Nijman the favourite for Double Dutch match-up tonight?
According to Van der Voort, that is mainly based on form over the past few months and on what both players showed in the first round. “At the moment Nijman is simply much more in form. He plays with ease, everything looks smoother, and right now everything seems to be going his way.”
Van der Voort sees clear differences in their trajectories. “Last year Gian was in that phase where everything seemed to come naturally. Now that is basically the case with Wessel.”
Even so, Van der Voort knows that a peak-form Van Veen remains a highly dangerous opponent. “If Gian stays with him and averages between 97 and 100, then Wessel will really have to graft to beat him. He’ll also need to be sharp on his doubles and make the right choices at the right moments. But if you have to make a prediction now, you really can’t look past Wessel. He is simply the better player at the moment.”
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Although Nijman won the most recent meeting convincingly, Van der Voort notes that the head-to-head record actually favors Van Veen. “The last time they met was in March. Nijman won then with a 113 average. That fits perfectly with the form he has this year.”
The early exit of Humphries has opened up the path to the semifinals, and possibly even the final, for Van Veen and Nijman.
Rivalry that could define Dutch darts for years to come
Van der Voort also expects these head-to-heads to become a fixture at the biggest tournaments for years. “On paper, this is simply the future. We’re going to see these two against each other for a very long time.”
For a long spell, he says, Van Veen clearly had the upper hand. “For a very long period Gian was just always better. Only the last time, Nijman was the better player.” That makes the meeting all the more intriguing in his view. “It will be a cracking match on Wednesday.”
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It was a cracking match as Van Veen won in close fashion.
Aside from sporting stakes, Vlottes believes the personal rivalry also plays a role. “They are both extra motivated against each other. This is different from playing someone else.”
Van der Voort fully agrees. “A compatriot is different anyway. But in this case they are also the same age. That all plays into it.” He believes both players also realize how important this match could be. “They both know this is an important match.”
While Nijman currently radiates confidence, Van der Voort sees this match as a potential turning point for Van Veen. “For Gian it would be especially nice to win right now, because there’s so much talk about Wessel at the moment.”
A win, he says, would mean far more than just a place in the quarterfinals. “This could also be the match that gets him fully back on track and back to his very best level.”
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That is why Van der Voort even calls the duel one of the most important matches of Van Veen’s season. “If he plays this one really well, he will go into the next match with enormous confidence. It could be exactly the moment when he turns it around again. It might even be a crucial match for his whole year.”
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Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
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