Niels Zonneveld booked his place in the second round of the Dutch Darts Championship in Maastricht on Friday evening. The Dutchman edged Belgium’s Mike De Decker 6-4 in a close contest. Zonneveld impressed when it mattered most, scoring heavily and finishing particularly well on the doubles.

After the match, Zonneveld spoke to Viaplay’s cameras and said he was pleased with his performance. He acknowledged that there had been little to separate the two players. “I think it came down to very small details. Maybe a few scoring visits at the end. As you say, it was really close throughout. Perhaps I was a little better in some of those scoring visits late on, which allowed me to take out the finish sooner.”

Zonneveld showed what he could do at 3-3. Two maximum 180s set up a 12-dart leg. He also hit two 180s in the final leg to seal the win.

“Right now, I just know I can do that,” Zonneveld said. “I’m really pleased it’s coming out in matches, because I do it so often in practice. I’m not used to that from myself.”

In fact, Zonneveld says he usually performs better in matches than on the practice board. “Normally, I can add about ten points to my average on stage compared with before I go to a tournament. So I’m usually not as good in practice as I am on stage, unlike other players.”

Zonneveld surprised by his own finishing rate

Despite his good form, Zonneveld was feeling some nerves before the match. “I knew it was in me. But I was a little nervous because of the crowd. You just want to get through, and I’ve done that now. I’m really pleased.”

His scoring was not the only thing that stood out. Against De Decker, Zonneveld hit six of his eight darts at double, giving him a finishing rate of 75 per cent. He was surprised when that statistic was mentioned after the match.

“I hadn’t even thought about that. You’re telling me now, so I’m really pleased,” Zonneveld said, acknowledging that his doubles can sometimes be a weakness. “That’s the area I think I need to improve. I have matches where I’m really good on the doubles, but I also have matches where I let things slip there.”

Zonneveld believes his finishing is the key to further improvement. He has few doubts about his scoring. “In terms of scoring, I can compete with the best in the world. And today, apparently, I hit my doubles too. That’s confirmation that the work you put in is paying off.”