Dutch darts star Danny Noppert has turned down an invitation to compete in this summer's World Series events in Australia and New Zealand, opting instead to spend time with his family. The 35-year-old, who enjoyed an impressive 2025 campaign with several semi-final runs at major televised tournaments, confirmed his decision on the Darts Draait Door podcast, citing a pre-booked holiday and a desire for a break from the packed darts schedule.
Noppert, a former UK Open champion, was offered a guaranteed starting spot for the Down Under double header after previously competing in World Series events in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia earlier this year. However, he revealed that he played those tournaments while unwell and couldn't produce his usual level. Reflecting on the demands of the tour, he noted, "You're there for two weeks, you don't really have much free time and there are lots of commitments. Then I have to choose my family, so we can just go on a normal holiday. To Gran Canaria, just enjoy ourselves and not play darts for a bit."
Despite acknowledging the prestige of the World Series—having traveled to Australia and New Zealand in 2023 with his younger brother for a "great time"—Noppert emphasized the need for balance. His 2025 season included an early exit at the PDC World Darts Championship, which cost him a place in the Premier League Darts line-up. The 2026 World Series circuit features six regular events, with tournaments already held in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia in January, and upcoming stops in Denmark, the United States, New Zealand, and Australia, before the World Series Finals in the Netherlands in September.
