“That was the story of the match” – Gian van Veen makes a big impression with a whitewash at the Swiss Darts Trophy
PDC
Gian van Veen reached the last 16 of the Swiss Darts Trophy in impressive fashion on Saturday evening. The reigning European champion needed just nine minutes in Basel to sweep aside Germany’s Niko Springer 6-0.
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The Dutchman was particularly sharp on the doubles. After the match, Van Veen highlighted his excellent finishing as the main reason behind his convincing victory.
The second day of the Swiss Darts Trophy produced several surprises. No fewer than ten seeded players were eliminated, but Van Veen had no trouble dealing with his opponent. The Dutchman was highly effective from the outset and gave Springer barely any chance to fight his way into the match.
Van Veen opened with two consecutive 107 checkouts, converting both through double 16. The absolute highlight came in the fourth leg, when the European champion produced a superb 164 finish via the bullseye.
WHITEWASH WIN FOR VAN VEEN! Blink and you'll miss it! 😳 Gian van Veen produces a trio of ton-plus checkouts to dispatch Niko Springer in just under ten minutes in Basel! 📺 https://t.co/Dogi6ykEH5 #ET14 https://t.co/sl27onJMJu
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) October 10, 2026
“There was not much between us in scoring”
Although the result suggested otherwise, Van Veen felt there was not a significant difference between the two players in scoring. According to the Dutchman, the decisive moments came when the doubles had to be hit. “I finished really well,” Van Veen said after his convincing victory.
“There wasn’t much between us in the scoring department, but in the fifth leg Niko missed a couple of chances, I took mine and I think that was the story of the match.”
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Springer had two chances in that fifth leg to get on the scoreboard, but missed tops and double 10. Van Veen immediately capitalised before also closing out the final leg.
The emphatic victory has secured the Dutchman a place on the final day of the Swiss Darts Trophy. Van Veen will return to action on Sunday at the St. Jakobshalle in Basel, where he will continue his pursuit of another title.
Lucas MichaelDarts Journalist
Lucas Michael is a darts journalist and reporter based in Cambridge, UK, and has been part of the DartsNews team since 2025. He covers professional darts through reports, analysis, round-ups, and live coverage, with a focus on clear context and accurate reporting across the PDC calendar.
A key part of his work is liveblogging major tournaments throughout the year, providing real-time updates, match coverage, and contextual reporting across the professional circuit. He also reports regularly from events on site and has covered the PDC World Darts Championship from the venue, delivering first-hand insight throughout the tournament.
Within the newsroom, Lucas works closely with the editorial team and supports coverage alongside Chief Content Officer Samuel Gill and reporter Kieran Wood.
Lucas holds a BA (Hons) in Sports Journalism. In his work, he places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating content promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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