Van Duijvenbode opens up on seven-month equipment nightmare before Matchplay heroics

DIRK VAN DUIJVENBODE admitted seven months of equipment struggles left him doubting whether his best darts would return.

The world No27 revealed he is still searching for the perfect set-up despite producing one of the finest performances of his career to beat Gary Anderson 16-13 with a 101.49 average at the World Matchplay.

Van Duijvenbode, 34, had endured a tough 2026 on the stage, crashing out before the third round in five of his last six Euro Tour events and winning just ONE game on TV prior to his Blackpool heroics.

The Dutchman’s struggles followed the chronic shoulder injury and nerve problems that first surfaced in late 2023, forcing him to rebuild both his throw and his confidence.

But Van Duijvenbode has now booked a semi-final showdown with Luke Littler at the Winter Gardens and confessed he is surprised to have turned his fortunes around.

He said: "I'm not really someone who says I'm proud of myself, but there have definitely been moments in my career where I've had to fight.

"To be honest, I'm surprised by this result because I've struggled all year to find the right set-up.

“For seven months I've been searching and I still don't think I've found my perfect equipment.

"I had a conversation with myself before this match. I basically said, 'Stop moaning.'

"My other thought was, 'The darts aren't going in properly.' Then I answered myself, 'Throw them harder.'

"Complaining doesn't solve anything. So I decided to be more aggressive, listen to more aggressive music before I played, and throw the darts harder.

“That seemed to help because they were sitting much better in the board.

"In life, whenever you have a problem, you either solve it or you manage it as well as you can. Nobody else is going to solve your problems for you.

"If you can't fix them completely, make the best of the situation.

"That's exactly what I tried to do tonight, and I think I played a very good game."

The Aubergenius admitted he struggled with the aura of Anderson during their clash, revealing the two-time world champion’s reputation made him even harder to overcome.

He added: "I've experienced it before against players like Raymond van Barneveld, Michael and Gary, but because it had happened so recently against Michael, I knew exactly what I was feeling.

"I recognised the situation, took my time, told myself this was the moment to deal with it properly, and I managed to do that."

Words: Aaron Nijjar

Image: Taylor Lanning