Wessel Nijman won Super League title and hit nine-dart finish before stunning Peter Wright win in Rosmalen

Wessel Nijman produced a sensational performance to reach the last 16 of the Dutch Darts Championship, dismantling former world champion Peter Wright 6–1 in the second round. The 24-year-old Dutchman will now face compatriot Dirk van Duijvenbode in an all-Dutch clash on Sunday afternoon.

Nijman, currently ranked 44th in the world, joins Van Duijvenbode and Danny Noppert as the only remaining Dutch players in the tournament, much to the delight of the home crowd in Rosmalen. Sunday’s afternoon session will see the completion of the last 16, with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final to follow in the evening.

It was a remarkable day for Nijman in more ways than one. In an unusual turn of events, he prepared for his match against Wright by competing—and winning—a Super League championship earlier in the day. Speaking to Viaplay ahead of his second-round tie, Nijman shared: “I played Super League this afternoon and became champion, so that was a bit of a celebration and definitely an unconventional preparation.”

His warm-up didn’t stop there. Nijman also hit a nine-darter during the Super League final. “That was against a good mate, Dave Proosten—I’ve got to mention him,” Nijman said with a grin. “I don’t throw nine-darters often, so I was buzzing.”

When asked whether this hectic schedule was ideal preparation for a major Euro Tour match, Nijman was candid: “I’ll be able to tell you in a few hours. I’ve never done anything like this before—playing that much earlier in the day. But Super League has a more relaxed vibe than the stage tonight. That might’ve actually helped.”

As it turned out, it helped in a big way. Nijman recorded his first-ever victory over Wright, averaging 96.53 and looking calm and composed throughout. “It turned out to be the perfect build-up,” he reflected afterwards. “It was a great afternoon. I’d never prepared like that before, but maybe this is the secret formula.”

His next test comes against Dirk van Duijvenbode, who saw off seventh seed James Wade with a convincing 6–3 win. Their all-Dutch encounter promises fireworks, with both players showing strong form heading into the business end of the tournament.