"Sometimes you do feel unbeatable" - Stephen Bunting continues winning start to 2025 with narrow victory over Gian van Veen in Den Bosch

Stephen Bunting remains in with a chance of winning back to back tournaments at the start of the 2025 World Series of Darts. 'The Bullet' was too strong for Gian van Veen 6-5 in his opening match at the Dutch Darts Masters and now gets to take on Raymond van Barneveld, who himself won 6-5 over Chris Dobey in his opening match.

Bunting and Van Veen dished up a great match to the crowd at the Maaspoort in Den Bosch, in which both men threw above a hundred average. "I'm glad that I hit that winning double at the end - I knew it was now or never and it needed to go in," reflected a relieved Bunting when speaking to the media in his post-match press conference. "I felt like it was a great game throughout - he's got a massive future ahead of him. He (Gian van Veen ed.) is up there with one of the best players in the world and I'm thankful to be through that game."

"Sometimes you do feel unbeatable. I do get that feeling sometimes," continues Bunting, who has surged up to world number 5 and secured a Premier League Darts return thanks to his career-best season in 2024. "On my own darts, I tend to be really strong and that's what you need to do."

The 39-year-old Englishman has a taste for victory all around. "I'm on the crest of a wave at the moment and I hope it can continue," concludes the former Lakeside champion. "But I won't take anything for granted and I'll be ready for tomorrow."

Bunting will take on Raymond van Barneveld in the quarterfinals. The winner of that match will meet the winner of the duel between Luke Littler and Michael van Gerwen in the semifinals.