Van Gerwen & Van Veen see positives in Premier League setbacks: “I can get a proper night’s sleep before the UK Open”

The fifth league night of the Premier League Darts offered little reason for satisfaction from a Dutch perspective. Both Michael van Gerwen and Gian van Veen went out in their first match of the evening. Afterwards, both players were strikingly composed about their displays and quickly turned their focus to the next tournament: the UK Open in Minehead.

For Van Gerwen, the exit came against Luke Littler, in a match that, according to the three-time world champion, never really caught fire. “This wasn’t a high-quality match,” Van Gerwen admitted straight away to Viaplay’s camera. “But I don’t think it was down to either of us. It was just a tough match for both of us.”

The Brabant native visibly struggled to find his rhythm. According to Van Gerwen, that simply comes with the ebb and flow of a long season. “When you’re at it for so long, you’re going to run into matches like this,” he explained. “Of course you don’t want that to happen too often.”

Still, the Dutchman tried to put the defeat into perspective immediately. With the UK Open starting just a day later, an early exit might not even have been the worst scenario. “If you have to pick a moment for something like this to happen, this might be a good time,” he said. “It means I can get a proper night’s sleep instead of lying in bed for three hours overthinking it.”

After the Premier League night, Van Gerwen still has a long drive to Minehead ahead of him, where the ‘FA Cup of Darts’ awaits. “It’s a two-and-a-half-hour drive. Tomorrow, a very important tournament for me begins. Two years ago, I didn’t perform well there, so there’s a lot for me to gain. That’s basically the main thing right now.”

During the match it was noticeable that both players’ darts were landing differently in the board than usual. Van Gerwen confirmed that the feel on stage wasn’t quite right. “It was just an adjustment for both of us,” he said. “It was the first match of the night and then it’s a bit of a nervy affair.”

Still, he didn’t want to dwell on it too much. “Of course you want to win a night like this,” he admitted. “But sometimes it just isn’t to be.”

Fellow countryman Gian van Veen also had little positive to say about his display afterward. The young Dutchman was strikingly forthright in his analysis. “Not much good,” Van Veen said succinctly about his match. “It was fun for him, but not for me.”

According to the player, the main issue was his scoring power at key moments. In a crucial phase of the match he failed to apply pressure. “Then he starts with 41 and you think: now jump over it. Then I throw 51,” Van Veen recounted. “After that we both have a visit without a treble. He has another visit without a treble. Then you think: now jump over it — and then you miss the treble again. Then it gets tough.”

Van Veen also squandered chances on the doubles. One moment stood out for him. “I miss three darts halfway through the match. That basically lets him pull away. That’s so unnecessary.”

Even so, Van Veen did not want to give his opponent too much credit for the win. “He wasn’t great,” he said candidly. “But I was a bit worse today.”

The Dutchman already sensed before the match that something wasn’t quite right. “I didn’t feel great today. I walked onto the stage, but it just didn’t feel top. My darts were also sitting in the board a bit differently than I’d hoped.” According to Van Veen, that simply comes with elite sport. “That happens sometimes. Unfortunately it happened tonight.”

Like Van Gerwen, Van Veen has already turned his attention to the next challenge. He too is getting straight in the car for Minehead after the Premier League night for the UK Open.

“Yes, it’s another two and a half hours’ drive,” he said. “Every downside has its upside.” He would have preferred it differently, though. “I would have liked to keep playing a bit longer here tonight. Then it’ll have to be tomorrow in Minehead. That’s how it is.”