Van Duijvenbode still not thinking of quitting weekday work: ''It's also a piece of loyalty to my employer''

Dirk van Duijvenbode is the only dart player in the top of the world rankings who has a weekday job in addition to his darts career. On days when he does not have to play darts, 'Aubergenius' can be found at an aubergine farm in Westland.

The former World Grand Prix finalist is on the payroll for 32 hours a week at Van Onselen Aubergines, where Van Duijvenbode is responsible for bookkeeping.

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''I like this, you keep a rhythm,'' Van Duijvenbode explained to De Telegraaf his decision to continue working alongside darts. ''Whether it would make a difference if I were full-pro? I don't think so. I worked at home during the corona period, I have a good job there too, but then I practiced half of what I do now. You can take a bath or lie on your bed. You have a lot of distractions. Maybe it would even make me lazier."

''And it's also a piece of loyalty to my employer,'' he adds. ''I realise very well that I am where I am today because of them. Of course, these facilities here are largely made for me. Being allowed to practice during working hours has boosted me tremendously. They gave me the space for it and then it's not like when I have achieved something, partly thanks to them, that I say: goodbye, it's been fun. That's really a 'no' for me. We have always kept this negotiable. Now I've had a good year of darts and they asked me if I ever think about quitting. Well, not at all. An accident is in a small corner. Or you suddenly throw nothing for two years and your sponsors walk away, for example. I take all that into account.''

Last summer, Van Duijvenbode suffered a wrist injury. He can laugh about the cause of the injury. ''That had happened on holiday, working out. For example, I train specifically to increase the durability in my arm, which you really need with tournaments. And I do some specific exercises for my shoulder, because I've had injuries before and mainly because I just like it. But I can never do it normally. So I don't build it up, but want to push myself to my old levels in a fortnight. Then you want to stay injury-free, but then it starts all over again. Oh well, I also like it and take it for granted, because that character brings me a lot and sometimes not. Everything has to be extreme with me. That's why I got good at darts. Someone around here played darts for a while and he was also talented and much better than me. I couldn't stand that. Then I would just practice for three to four hours a day, because I couldn't stand him winning from me.''

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Van Duijvenbode will start his fourth World Championship in London in December. The Dutchman does not now rank himself among the top favourites. ''If I won it now, it would be a surprise, because I am not the best at the moment. You don't win a World Championship just like that, everyone wants to win this tournament.''

''I know my peak is high enough to win from anyone. But to win a World Championship you have to peak at the right time, ánd long enough. Whether I can handle the pressure? There is a lot involved. I just want to become world champion one day, but there is more chance of not succeeding than succeeding. Suppose I stop in ten years and my quarter-final last year was the only quarter-final I made, I would be disappointed. I definitely want to experience another semi-final or final. You have dart players who want to make a living from it, or a nice living, and players who want to make the most of it regardless of the financial. I belong to the latter category."