Gian van Veen has issued a warning to his rivals after navigating a hectic PDC schedule, declaring, "As soon as both of them click, I'm very dangerous." The young Dutchman has been immersed in a demanding tour over recent weeks, featuring appearances in the World Series, Pro Tour events, the European Tour, and especially the Premier League Darts. For a player who has only recently broken through to the top level, it represents an intense calendar, yet Van Veen looks back positively, though he admits his performances haven't met his own high standards. "Yeah, that's true. It's been a lot busier than I was expecting, but it's been very good," he said in conversation with Tungsten Tales. "I think my performances haven't really been up to the standard I was hoping for."
Van Veen sets high standards for himself, particularly in scoring consistency. "I haven't had enough 100 plus averages," he admitted. "But as long as I get the wins, that's what matters." He views his ability to win matches without his best darts as a key development sign, pointing to his performance in the Premier League in Glasgow as an example. "I saw it last Thursday in Glasgow as well. Scoring-wise I wasn't really up there, but my finishing kept me in the game." This, he believes, shows his game now has multiple dimensions. "For me, that shows I can do it both ways. And as soon as both of them click, I'm very dangerous."
Despite his regular appearances on big stages, the European Tour remains a priority for Van Veen. "Yeah, very much so," he said. "The European Tour is very important for every player because that's where you gain experience between the majors." He explained that these tournaments fill gaps in the calendar, with "a couple of months between majors" and "so many European Tours in between," making them crucial for rankings and development. Van Veen has extra motivation after winning the European Championship last year. "And especially after winning the European Championship last year, I want to be back there and defend my title," he said. "That makes the European Tours even more important."
The interview took place during the first European Tour event in Krakow, Poland, where Van Veen received a warm welcome. "They were amazing tonight," he said of the crowd. "Even the little kid in front of me had made a drawing of me. I'd never seen that before." He noted darts' rapid growth in Poland, citing sold-out World Series events as a reason for the PDC's decision. "The last couple of years, there have been World Series events here, and the PDC noticed they were sold out in hours, even minutes," he said. "The crowd is fantastic." The arena was full, with Van Veen estimating "around three and a half to four thousand people" in attendance. "Tonight was sold out as well," he added, calling it a "fantastic crowd" and praising the PDC's move. "I think it's a really good step from the PDC to bring European Tour events to Poland."
