DE DECKER VOWS TO BEAT PRICE
05/04/2025 By Aaron Nijjar
By Aaron Nijjar
Mike De Decker admitted he was far from his best despite booking his place in round two of the International Darts Open with a 6-3 victory over Daniel Klose in Riesa.
The Belgian averaged 89.94 and failed to hit a single maximum but relied on clinical finishing landing 42 percent of his doubles to overcome Klose.
German qualifier Klose’s own struggles on the outer ring ultimately proved costly.
‘The Real Deal’ admitted he would have lost this game against Klose in the past.
He said: “It was not a good game. Not from me or him.
“Hopefully I will have a better night rest than I did last night.
“I need to be better tomorrow.
“In practice everything was going well. I was throwing 180s for fun.
“But on the stage I could not find my first dart which is a problem.
“One hundred percent I would have lost this match two years ago.”
World Grand Prix champion De Decker has enjoyed a stellar start to the season as he reached the final of the Belgium Darts Open last month.
The 29-year-old also made the semi-finals of two Players Championship events.
De Decker now faces four-time International Darts Open champion Gerwyn Price in round two.
He added: “I played Gerwyn here a couple of years ago and we both averaged over 105.
“He was the better man on that occasion. Hopefully we can replicate that game and I can be the winner this time.”
Image by Taylor Lanning.
