Any sports fan understanding the intensity and need to win at all cost mentality born from local or national rivalry. Yet, the ever-entertaining Dirk van Duijvenbode finally claimed a first televised win over compatriot Michael van Gerwen - and, even in victory, he wasn’t entirely satisfied.
Speaking to the media after the match, The Aubergenius had his usual cocktail of honesty, self-critique, and subtle comedy ready to serve.
"You said my composure was good - but no, it was bad," Dirk admitted. "If you start a leg with 152 and then throw three 58s, that’s not good enough. The final leg was good, not the finishing, but I won it in the end."
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And when asked about facing MVG again in the near future, he couldn’t resist a trademark quip:
"I don’t like playing Michael because he beats me too much. Apart from that, I like him as an opponent, but he’s beaten me more often than I’ve beaten him - and you don’t like that. Don’t believe everything the media tells you, though. They can’t always show the full context of what I say."
Despite the rivalry, there’s no real bad blood between the two Dutchmen. "We get along. We’re not friends, but we go on fine. We respect each other as professionals."
THE PDC WORLD GRAND PRIX: Stats, history and the WGP story on dartsdatabase.co.uk
Hard to be mates with someone who continues costs you money by knocking you out of tournaments I guess. But deep down, you get the feeling Dirk’s pretty chuffed with yesterday’s result. Sure, it might not have been a fully firing MVG, but any time you beat the great Dutch Machine, it’s a scalp worth framing.
2025 BOYLE Sports World Grand Prix
Tuesday October 7
8x Round One matches
Luke Woodhouse 2-1 Damon Heta (3-0, 0-3, 3-2)
Daryl Gurney 2-0 Ross Smith (3-0, 3-1)
Jonny Clayton 2-0 Andrew Gilding (3-1, 3-2)
Gerwyn Price 2-1 Ryan Searle (0-3, 3-2, 3-1)
Luke Littler 2-0 Gian van Veen (3-2, 3-0)
Dirk van Duijvenbode 2-0 Michael van Gerwen (3-0, 3-2)
Mike De Decker 2-1 Peter Wright (1-3, 3-1, 3-1)
Josh Rock 2-1 Ryan Joyce (1-3, 3-1, 3-2)
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