Van Duijvenbode not concerned about World Cup of Darts participation: “I know if I don't make it to World Matchplay, I won't be in anyway”

Due to good results both to start this year and during his breakout year last year, Dirk Van Duijvenbode will be involved in most TV tournaments going forward.

Last year, Van Duijvenbode had his big breakthrough at one of those majors, by advancing to the final at the World Grand Prix. Aubergenius also made the last eight at the European Championship, Players Championship Finals and the World Darts Championship.

As a result, it is not inconceivable that he will be in the top 10 in the Order of Merit at some point soon.

''If you want to be in the top 10, then you have to do well on television or very well on the floor (tournaments). I am still a bit in between now. If I have a good World Championship this year, then I will of course go towards the top 10'', Van Duijvenbode concludes in conversation with DartsNews.

What satisfies him anyway is that he sees little difference between his level in the majors and the floor tournaments. ''That is a good sign. At the UK Open I had an average of around a hundred and on the floor I have that too. That is just very solid.''

The fact that Van Duijvenbode is currently also performing well in the television tournaments is due to his victory over Mensur Suljovic in the first round of the World Grand Prix.

“That was just a bad game and I won it once. I used to have a lot of TV anxiety, but now I'm over. That has been a big win for me. ''

Van Duijvenbode is currently 31st in the PDC Order of Merit, making him the sixth highest Dutchman in the ranking. Danny Noppert (22), Jeffrey de Zwaan (24), Vincent van der Voort (27) and Jermaine Wattimena (30) are nearby. For example, the difference with the second highest Dutchman Noppert is only 29500 pounds.

And so it is not inconceivable that the 28-year-old will compete for the Netherlands together with Michael van Gerwen at the World Cup of Darts this year. Especially because the tournament has been moved to September this season, so Van Duijvenbode has more time to catch up with his fellow countrymen.

Van Duijvenbode, however, pays little attention to a possible appearance at the World Cup of Darts.

"I am not concerned with it in such a way that I immediately think about participating. I know if I don't make it to World Matchplay, I won't be in anyway. I think it is more important to reach the Matchplay than to play that tournament (the World Cup). Of course it is an honor, but for myself I thought 2022 was more feasible to play that tournament.”

Whether Van Duijvenbode currently considers himself the second best Dutchman? “That's not for me to say. I am never really concerned about that with the Dutch. I hope they are doing well and that I am doing the best myself. That is how I am always in it, because it is an individual sport. The more you are involved with such things, the more it will bother you. I have sometimes seen people who were busy with the World Cup and then lost games because there was more pressure on it. ''