Niels Zonneveld claimed the biggest success of his darts career last Sunday, winning the Dutch Darts Championship in Maastricht for his first European Tour title. But the Dutchman is still struggling to process it all. "I'm obviously incredibly happy, but it hasn't quite sunk in yet," Zonneveld admitted on the Darts Draait Door podcast with host Damian Vlottes and former professional Vincent van der Voort. "I know I've won, and I do realise that, but I haven't had that overwhelming feeling of, 'This is it.' It still needs a little time to sink in."
Zonneveld's route to the title was anything but easy. On finals day, he beat Gerwyn Price and compatriot Wessel Nijman before overcoming Stephen Bunting in the semi-finals. Danny Noppert also proved unable to stop his fellow Dutchman in the final. The victory made Zonneveld only the fifth Dutchman to win a European Tour title, following Raymond van Barneveld, Michael van Gerwen, Vincent van der Voort and Wessel Nijman. Nijman has already won two tournaments this season.
Despite the triumph, Zonneveld was notably critical of his own performance. "I think I played really well against Price and Wessel," he said. "The semi-final against Bunting was a struggle, but he let me in. Noppert did too, because let's be honest: the semi-final and final weren't top performances." He acknowledged that luck had also been on his side. "Sometimes you just need a day when everything goes your way. I think today was one of those days. Not in every match, because I played really well against Wessel and Price. I won those matches myself. But in the end, a few things go your way too, and sometimes that's only fair. I've been on the other side of it often enough."
Van der Voort strongly agreed, noting that players often remember the occasions when things go against them for much longer than the matches in which they get a bit of luck. "You take plenty of blows during your career, and you remember those for a long time. But you quickly forget the times when things go your way, because you see that as normal," Van der Voort said. "So it's good that you've acknowledged that sometimes things go your way too."
Victory in Maastricht rewarded Zonneveld for a long period of hard work. A few years ago, he was hovering around 64th in the world rankings. He has since climbed to 28th. Remarkably, Zonneveld does not see himself as a player who relies mainly on natural talent. "I don't think I'm the most talented player in the world. Let's be honest. I have to work for it," he said. He believes that mindset has helped him considerably over the past year and a half. "That's what I've done very consistently over the past year and a half. I definitely think it can take me a long way. The hours I put in day after day have ultimately brought me this victory." Zonneveld stressed that his success had not come easily. "If I don't do that and just think, 'It'll all work out,' it doesn't work. I really have to put in the work. I've done that over the past year and a half, and today it's paid off. It's absolutely fantastic."
By winning the Dutch Darts Championship, Zonneveld also secured his place at the Grand Slam of Darts. Van der Voort highlighted the broader impact of the title. "You've got the Grand Slam in the bag now, which is already fantastic," he said. "And he's made huge strides on the Grand Prix and Matchplay rankings. He's practically certain to qualify for the Matchplay." The victory also bodes well for next season, with Van der Voort believing Zonneveld can be almost certain of playing the full European Tour circuit again. "You now know you'll be playing every European Tour event for a full year. You've been in the position of missing out before, so you know how difficult it is to get in. Knowing you're unlikely to drop out now feels great." Van der Voort did, however, warn his compatriot not to take his foot off the gas. "The one thing you mustn't do now is think that none of it matters anymore. At every tournament you enter, you have to keep pushing towards the next goal. But for now, you should enjoy this moment."
Naturally, Zonneveld was also asked how he planned to celebrate his first European Tour title. The Dutchman did not yet have a specific plan, but it was clear he did not intend to let the victory pass without celebration. He has little time to celebrate, however. The European Championship in Dortmund is already on the schedule this coming weekend, with Zonneveld seeded fourth. Van der Voort stressed the importance of getting enough rest. "Another very important tournament is coming up on Thursday or Friday. You need to be ready for it. If you go out in the first round, you'll be saying, 'Great stuff last week, but this was nothing.' You have to be ready again." Zonneveld was not too concerned. "I think I can definitely keep things under control. I also know I'm leaving again on Wednesday or Thursday. It's an important major."
