"Practice hours are a little bit less than normal with all the stuff that goes around having a baby": Niels Zonneveld has temporarily put darts on the back burner

PDC
Tuesday, 14 July 2026 at 16:00
Niels Zonneveld (1)
For Niels Zonneveld, life currently revolves around more than just darts. The Dutch world number 36 became a father for the first time last month and admits that the special occasion temporarily shifted his priorities. Although he has not been able to practise as much as usual, 'Triple Z' is looking forward to the World Matchplay with confidence.
ADVERTISEMENT
Zonneveld enjoyed an excellent start to the season. The 27-year-old reached the semi-finals of both the European Darts Trophy and the Belgian Darts Open, and remains the only player to have beaten Luke Littler in a PDC ranking event this year.
However, recent weeks have been less successful. Across his last six European Tour events, Zonneveld failed to progress beyond the second round each time. According to the Dutchman, there is a simple explanation.
“Of course I am really happy with my daughter she is doing well so that is the most important thing," said Zonneveld. "I am enjoying it and she is already one month old today. It is going fast."
With the arrival of his first child, darts understandably took a back seat for a while. “The practice hours are a little bit less than normal with all the stuff that goes around having a baby. That is more important at that moment than the darts is."
Despite that, Zonneveld feels the time has come to fully focus on his sport again. “But now I can practice back again. The World Matchplay is next week so I am looking forward to that and I have to be back in form again.”
Niels Zonneveld looks on.
Zonneveld temporarily puts darts on back burner.
ADVERTISEMENT

Dream of three Dutch friends

Alongside his sporting ambitions, Zonneveld has another goal. Together with close friends Kevin Doets and Wessel Nijman, he hopes all three can establish themselves in the top 32 of the PDC Order of Merit.
The trio have known each other for many years and used to play together for the same Super League team in the Netherlands. “Kevin [Doets] and Wessel [Nijman] are good friends of mine. We played together in a Super League team years ago in Holland.
It's something he never imagined would become reality. “Now Wessel is already in and I think Kevin is as well. I am near the top 32 and maybe at the end of the year we are all top 32 players. I didn’t expect that eight years ago. But now it is really special for me and I think for them as well.”
claps 0visitors 0
loading

Just in

Popular news

Latest comments

Loading