Gian van Veen suffered a 6-1 quarterfinal defeat to Gerwyn Price on Night 8 of the Premier League Darts in Berlin, a result that leaves him sixth in the table. The 23-year-old Dutchman from Poederoijen had a disrupted build-up to the event after undergoing surgery for kidney stones last week, and he acknowledged afterwards that he wasn't at his physical best. "Maybe in the end, I was not 100% right," Van Veen said. "However for me it felt right to be here in Berlin again and I have no regrets."
Van Veen described struggling with a lack of energy on stage, noting that Price was in outstanding form and set the tone from the start. "I struggled a bit up there, lack of energy, but I was enjoying myself playing on the big stage again and that's what it's all about," he explained. Despite the defeat, he received plenty of support from the German crowd in the Berlin arena, adding: "A big thank you to Berlin for the reception today and to everyone for all the messages the last couple of days, it really means the world."
Looking ahead, Van Veen is already focusing on the next round in Manchester, where he hopes to be in better condition. "Next week in Manchester I'll be back again and hopefully in a better condition," he stated. With his down-to-earth approach and positive mindset, the young talent shows he has both the skill and character to continue developing at darts' highest level, treating the Berlin defeat as another step in his learning process.
