DIRK ADMITS HOME LIFE CHALLENGES HAVE HIT HIS GAME
07/10/2025 By Aaron Nijjar
DIRK VAN DUIJVENBODE admits that being a dad to a newborn has affected his darts this season.
World No. 32 Van Duijvenbode has failed to get past the second round in his last SIX Euro Tour events.
But the Dutchman has shown glimpses of brilliance this year as he reached the final of the Players Championship 17 before falling 8-7 to Chris Dobey.
Van Duijvenbode revealed that part of the reason for his dips in form has been the challenge of adjusting to life as a father of two.
He said: “Things aren’t going great with a new baby. She’s having trouble feeding and cries a lot.
“That makes things a bit harder at home, and that’s why I’m sleeping less. That’s also reflected in my game.”
‘The Aubergenius’ is looking to leave recent struggles behind as he faces Michael van Gerwen in the first round of the World Grand Prix.
Van Duijvenbode, who shocked fans by reaching the final on his debut at the major in 2019, will be hoping to rediscover his best against the three-time world champion.
He added: “He’s in a much better place. He’s not always at his best, but he’s showing his level again.
“He’s not the same Van Gerwen as in the Matchplay, but I have to focus on myself and make sure I’m at my best.
“I’ve been preparing for all my first rounds just like the Grand Prix.
“And they were always good, at or above 100 on average. So things have been going well lately; last weekend was excellent.
“Such a short format is nerve-wracking for both of us, but perhaps a little more so for the seeded player because of the pressure. We’ll see.”
Van Duijvenbode crashed out of the Hungarian Darts Trophy last month, suffering a 6-5 defeat to Tom Bissell in round one with a disappointing 83.44 average.
The 33-year-old says he used the loss as a reality check, hitting the practice board hard to get back on track.
He continued: “If you know where it comes from, you can live with it better.
“That match was very bad, but at the same time it was also very good. All the alarm bells went off, and I started training hard.”
Image by Taylor Lanning.
