Gian van Veen was eliminated in the fourth round of the UK Open on Friday evening, losing 10-7 to former world champion Rob Cross in Minehead. The Dutchman, who averaged over 100 and hit a solid percentage on the doubles, acknowledged that Cross was sharper at the crucial moments in a high-quality match. Van Veen said, "He was very good today. He was simply the better player, and I could feel that as well. But I kept hanging in there every time, with a few good finishes to stay close. Then at one point you miss that one dart at 80 in the last few legs, and he punishes it."
Van Veen admitted the draw made for a tough start, noting, "When I saw the draw I thought, 'Okay, this will be tough.' But it's also nice, because if you win that match you're immediately in a good position in the tournament. But yes... if you win it." Despite strong stats, including an average of over 101, multiple maximums, and a decent doubles percentage, he felt inconsistent during the contest. He explained, "It didn't feel great. At times it was a bit up and down. A few legs with lots of triples, and then another leg with nine darts without a single triple. That annoyed me a bit."
Reflecting on the loss, Van Veen emphasized that dips in performance are costly against top opponents like Cross, stating, "You can't afford that against someone like Rob Cross, and that showed today." He added, "In another match that might have been enough. Today it wasn't. One more 140 from him. It's nice that you throw a 101 average... but it doesn't help you." The match was highlighted on social media by the PDC, which posted about Cross's eight 180s in the victory.
