Plaisier achieved potential with German Darts Grand Prix run: "I knew it could happen, but this weekend I finally got the confirmation"

Wesley Plaisier produced a shock run at the German Darts Grand Prix last weekend. The Dutchman, who currently does not have a Tour Card, surprisingly made it to the quarter finals, where he only lost very narrowly to the later tournament winner Luke Humphries.

Plaisier qualified for the German Darts Grand Prix in a qualifier. "It was amazing, really a beautiful experience. Normally you watch these players on television in the quarter finals and now you are there yourself", says Plaisier to Sportnieuws.nl.

The 32-year-old Dutchman defeated Welshman Jim Williams in his opening match and was up against reigning Masters winner Joe Cullen in the second round. "Against him I just wanted to give everything and see where it would take me. But when I won that match as well I started to believe: 'OK, now I can win against the really big men'."

Plaisier's fairytale was not over yet, because in the third round he also won against compatriot Dirk van Duijvenbode. "To beat Cullen and Van Duijvenbode - two players in the top 16 of the world - is something you never dreamed of before. It was a super weekend. The best win? "The one over Cullen! That guy plays the Premier League and recently won a major.

In the end, Plaisier failed in the quarter-finals against Luke Humphries. "That night I was disappointed because I still had a chance. At 5-5 I could not throw 98 in three darts. But one day later, the pride prevailed."

It did bring Plaisier the recognition of some top players. "Rob Cross came up to me at one point and said I have a lot of talent, that I should keep going like this and that he was going to follow me. Humphries came up to me after the match to say that this was one of the best matches he had played. Those are nice things to hear from such players."

Finally, Plaisier also looks back on his participation in Q-School earlier this year. "I had a bit of bad luck. I think I had a weekly average of 92, normally that would get you a Tour Card. Just at the unlucky moments I got the wrong opponent. Thibault Tricole threw 98 average against me, while I threw 93 average myself. I knew it could happen, but this weekend I finally got the confirmation."