Kevin Doets marked his European Championship debut with a special 6-3 victory over Michael van Gerwen in Dortmund on Friday evening, a win made all the more meaningful by the difficult personal period the Dutchman has endured. Speaking at his post-match press conference to DartsNews and other outlets, Doets reflected not only on the biggest win of his career but also on the death of his father at the start of August.
Doets made a strong start against his compatriot, a 106 checkout giving him an important break before a superb 132 finish via the bullseye extended his lead. Van Gerwen, the three-time world champion, pulled back to 5-3 but could not erase the deficit as Doets closed out the match. The win marked another milestone in the best season of Doets' career, having claimed his first PDC ranking title this year. He admitted to mixed feelings beforehand, as a long-awaited meeting with Rob Cross was changed by Niels Zonneveld's victory at the Dutch Darts Championship. "He's the best player ever in the Netherlands," Doets said. "He and Raymond van Barneveld are pretty close to each other, but when the draw came out, I was down to play Rob Cross for a long time. Then, in the end, because Niels Zonneveld won, I was going to play Michael. There were mixed feelings about it, but to be able to beat him in this kind of way is amazing."
Despite Van Gerwen's difficult spell, Doets was determined not to underestimate him. "Everyone says it hasn't been the best two years for him, but in my opinion, it's still Michael van Gerwen," he stressed. "He's still won a tournament this year, he's won tournaments last year, and he's still averaged 110-plus, even 120-plus, this year." He added: "You never know with him, and I was prepared for that today. From the first leg, I felt like this was going to be my game." The victory carried extra weight given that Doets grew up watching Van Gerwen and Van Barneveld. "He's someone I looked up to when I was 15 years old, and to be able to say that I beat him at a major 13 years later is just insane."
Doets credited extra hours on the practice board for his rise, a shift that began after his World Darts Championship meeting with Michael Smith. "After that tournament, I felt like, wow, there's a lot in me, especially on stage," he said. "But I never really did anything about it. I never put in the practice hours that players need. But since this year, I've put in those practice hours, and it's showing." He also believes he has grown mentally. "I know he hasn't been in his best form, but whenever I play against him, I still see the Michael van Gerwen I looked up to. However, I've been getting better at playing my own game against anyone, so I try not to get intimidated by who I'm playing. I guess that worked today."
On Dutch darts, Doets was optimistic, praising the generation that came before. "I think Dutch darts is in a great place, and it's basically all thanks to Raymond and Michael," he said. "We have a lot to thank them for. They're your idols, but eventually, if you want to be the best, you have to beat your idols." He estimated that eight or nine Dutch players currently feature in the world's top 32, though he did not know the exact number, and noted the fierce rivalry among them. "The rivalry between us is also very strong because, I don't know what it is about us Dutch players, but we really hate losing to each other. It's the worst thing ever."
The most personal moment came when Doets was asked about balancing sporting success with his private life. "My father passed away on 3 August," he said, recalling a poor display at a European Tour event in Budapest shortly afterwards. "My doubles weren't going, my trebles weren't going, I had no focus. I just played awfully." He added: "I started playing a little bit better, but still not great." Now, he says, things are improving. "I've just been dealing with mourning. I think I've been able to separate the darts and the private side of things a bit better now. It's been almost three months — two and a half months — and I think I'm coming back to the player I was before it happened."
