"She tells me to get off my lazy ass and get practicing" – Kevin Doets thrives thanks to a new rhythm and his girlfriend’s support
PDCWednesday, 22 July 2026 at 16:55
Kevin Doets is enjoying the best season of his career. The 28-year-old darter captured his first Players Championship title this year, reached a Euro Tour final, and made his debut at the World Matchplay in Blackpool this week. According to Doets, that sporting breakthrough stems from a combination of more training hours, a stable home life, and the support of his girlfriend, Bianca Rangel.
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While Doets was known in recent years as a talented player who could regularly spring surprises, he has firmly established himself among the world’s elite in 2026. That is no coincidence, says the current world number thirty. “I didn’t see this coming at all, to be honest. If you’d said this three years ago, I wouldn’t have believed you,” he says in an interview with De Telegraaf.
An important change came at the start of this year. Doets moved to a new home, which allowed him to structure his training schedule much more effectively.
“Since January I’ve got a new place and I can train when my little boy is sleeping. Before this I had an apartment and the bedroom was in the living room, so that wasn’t possible.”
Girlfriend Bianca adds extra discipline
Alongside his new home, his relationship with Bianca Rangel also plays a key role in his development. The Brazilian is a regular presence at tournaments and has become a familiar face for darts fans. During the walk-ons she is invariably visible in the crowd, loudly cheering on her boyfriend.
Doets met Bianca on the Challenge Tour, where her father was playing a tournament. They exchanged phone numbers and have been a couple for quite some time now.
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According to Doets, his girlfriend has a major share in his current form. “There are so many tournaments these days that I also just like to lounge around. I do get my rest, but less than if I wasn’t with her.”
Thanks to his strong results, Kevin Doets has climbed into the top 32 of the PDC Order of Merit
It doesn’t stop there. “She pushes me hard and Brazilians are tough by nature. She tells me to get off my lazy ass and get practicing. That helps enormously.”
Bianca officially lives in Portugal but can do most of her work remotely. As a result, she regularly travels with Doets to international tournaments. “She works together with her mother, who is an immigration lawyer, and can do her job behind a laptop.” The Dutchman is grateful for her support. “She’s helped me a lot in darts, so I owe her a great deal.”
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Debut on an iconic stage
The strong results of recent months earned Doets a reward this week in the form of his first appearance at the World Matchplay. The tournament at the Winter Gardens is one of the most prestigious events on the darts calendar and is open only to the world’s top 32 players.
It was a special moment for Doets. “It’s one of the toughest tournaments to qualify for, because only the top 32 players in the world take part.”
He had come close to qualifying before but had to be patient. “Two years ago I was very close, but last year I wasn’t near qualifying. This year it became clear quite quickly that it was going to happen.”
Finally getting to stand on the iconic Winter Gardens stage made a big impression. “The arena is iconic and this is simply a place you want to have played in during your career.”
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In the end, Doets’s World Matchplay debut lasted just one match. Despite a 104.19 average, he had to concede 10-6 in the first round to Ross Smith.
Samuel GillChief Content Officer
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
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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