VAN VEEN PREMIER LEAGUE RETURN IN DOUBT

GIAN VAN VEEN faces a major doubt over his Premier League return in Berlin after being struck down by kidney stones.

World No.3 Van Veen was forced to miss Night Seven of the major tournament, as well as the Euro Tour event in Belgium, with the painful condition compounded by an infection. 

The Dutchman was even forced to undergo surgery in hospital but is now slowly on the road to recovery. 

Van Veen admits he is still struggling physically and insists he will not risk his long-term fitness for a rushed comeback. 

He told the Darts Draait Door Podcast: “I notice I’ve lost a lot of strength and energy over the past week, I get tired very quickly. 

“I was with family this past weekend and I noticed that all those stimuli are still very exhausting. 

“I also threw for a quarter of an hour on Sunday, but I was completely spent and wiped out. I really need to build up over the coming days, otherwise it’ll be difficult. 

“I’m going to do everything I can, but the Premier League Darts isn’t what it’s all about in the end, as great as it is. 

“I tried for two days to pass the kidney stones so I wouldn’t need surgery, but that wasn’t possible due to an infection.” 

Van Veen currently sits sixth in the Premier League table after reaching three nightly finals in his debut year. 

The 23-year-old has enjoyed a strong start to the season, reaching the semi-finals of the World Masters and the final of the Poland Masters.

Image by Taylor Lanning.