Gian van Veen insists he will take ‘massive confidence’ from securing his maiden PDC ranking title in Leicester on Wednesday.
Van Veen stormed to victory in Players Championship Six at the Mattioli Arena, averaging 99.77 across seven matches to celebrate his first senior PDC crown.
The World Youth Champion had suffered heartbreak just 24 hours earlier, spurning six match darts in Tuesday’s Players Championship Five decider against Joe Cullen.
However, Van Veen bounced back in sensational style in the East Midlands, defeating world number one Luke Humphries 8-3 to break new ground in his fledgling career.
“This means so much to me,” admitted the Dutchman, who tops the Players Championship Order of Merit after six events.
“I felt a bit hard done by on Tuesday. Missing six match darts to take my first [senior] title, I was heartbroken.
“I have never felt so angry after a game, so to make it right the next day and to rectify it is unbelievable.”
Van Veen has been touted as one of the sport’s most exciting talents since dominating the Winmau Development Tour alongside Luke Littler two years ago, and he is starting to fulfil that potential.
Following his breakthrough run to the European Championship semi-finals in 2023, Van Veen enjoyed an outstanding Grand Slam of Darts campaign in November, eventually succumbing in the last eight.
The 22-year-old also reached the UK Open quarter-finals earlier this month, and it took an irrepressible display from eventual champion Littler to halt his charge.
Van Veen avenged that result by ending Littler’s 19-match winning run in Players Championship Five on Tuesday, converting 110, 127 and 121 checkouts in the closing stages to triumph.
That was preceded by a superb victory over his fellow Dutchman Michael van Gerwen, where he averaged 108 and landed five 180s to topple the three-time World Champion.
Having also accounted for Humphries on Wednesday, Van Veen managed to accomplish the rare feat of defeating the world’s top three players in little over 24 hours.
“I don’t think I have dropped below a 96 average over the last two days, so I’ve been really consistent,” reflected Van Veen.
“Playing Luke Humphries in the final, I knew it was going to be tough. He let me in a couple of times and I took my chances, so I am really happy.
“I knew I was the highest-ranked player in the world without a ranking title, so I really felt the pressure.
“I felt like I needed to pick one up soon, so this win feels really good.”
Van Veen was featuring in his fourth Players Championship final, having twice lost out to Gerwyn Price in 2022 and 2023 prior to his defeat against Cullen.
He was also edged out by Van Gerwen in last September’s Hungarian Darts Trophy final, although he believes his breakthrough win could provide the catalyst for further silverware.
“Last year in Budapest on the European Tour, I came so close to beating Michael van Gerwen in the final. That really hurt,” he conceded.
“Losing the final against Joe [Cullen] hurt even more, so I think it was massive for me to get over that line, and to know how it feels to win one of these titles.
“This gives me massive confidence going into the next part of the season.
“It’s going to be a busy period. We have a lot of European Tour events coming up, and I’m really looking forward to it.
“If I can play like I have done in the last few days, I think I am going to do well!”