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Niels Zonneveld

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Niels Zonneveld
Zonneveld in 2021
Personal information
Nickname"Triple Z"
Born (1998-07-22) 22 July 1998 (age 26)
Uitgeest, Netherlands[1]
Home townUitgeest, Netherlands
Darts information
Playing darts since2014
Darts23g Shot Darts Signature
LateralityLeft-handed
Walk-on music"Kryptonite" by 3 Doors Down
Organisation (see split in darts)
PDC2019–
(Tour Card: 2019–)
Current world ranking49 Increase 4 (24 November 2024)[2]
PDC premier events – best performances
World Ch'shipLast 64: 2024
UK OpenLast 32: 2022
PC FinalsLast 16: 2023, 2024
World Series FinalsQuarter Final: 2021
Other tournament wins
PDC Development Tour 2018, 2021

Niels Zonneveld (born 22 July 1998)[3] is a Dutch professional darts player who plays in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events. He is a current PDC Tour Card holder and is a two-time winner on the PDC Development Tour.

Career

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Zonneveld started playing on the PDC Development Tour in 2018, picking up his first title on the tour in only his fourth event where he defeated Joe Davis 5–2 in the final.[4] At the end of the 2018 Development Tour season, he finished 9th on the Order of Merit ranking.

He attended European Q-School in 2019, where he won his PDC Tour Card on Day 1, beating Christian Gödl 5–1 in the final.[5] He made it to the semi finals of the 2020 PDC World Youth Championship but lost to the eventual champion Bradley Brooks 6–1. Zonneveld qualified for the 2021 PDC World Darts Championship through the PDPA Rest of the World Qualifier.[6][7] This was his debut at the competition.[8] He went out in the first round, being whitewashed by William O'Connor 3–0 in sets.[9]

He qualified for the 2021 World Series of Darts Finals as one of the four Tour Card holder qualifiers,[10] where he had his deepest run at a PDC televised event. He reached the quarter finals, including a 6-4 victory over two-time World Champion Gary Anderson in the second round.[11] His run was ended by Poland's Krzysztof Ratajski.[12]

At the 2022 Belgian Darts Open, Zonneveld upset reigning World Champion Peter Wright in the second round, beating him 6–5. The game became known for Wright's refusal to fist bump Zonneveld before the deciding leg, a gesture common amongst darts players.[13][14] Zonneveld reflected on the incident on the Double Top podcast in 2024, stating that the close win over Wright was "kind of the ultimate revenge", but explained that Wright apologised afterwards.[15][16]

Zonneveld earned his first win at the PDC World Darts Championship when he defeated Darren Webster 3–1 in the first round of the 2024 PDC World Darts Championship.[17]

World Championship results

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PDC

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Performance timeline

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Tournament 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
PDC Ranked televised events
PDC World Championship DNQ 1R DNQ 1R 2R
UK Open DNP 1R 3R 2R 5R 3R 2R
Players Championship Finals DNQ 2R DNQ 1R 3R 3R
Non-ranked televised events
World Series of Darts Finals DNP DNQ QF DNQ
PDC World Youth Championship RR 3R SF 2R 2R DNP
Career statistics
Year-end ranking - 146 79 113 69 73

PDC European Tour

Season 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
2018 EDO
DNP
GDG
DNP
GDO
DNP
ADO
DNP
EDG
DNP
DDM
DNQ
GDT
DNP
DDO
DNP
EDM
DNP
GDC
DNP
DDC
DNP
IDO
DNP
EDT
DNP
2019 EDO
DNQ
GDC
DNQ
GDG
DNQ
GDO
DNQ
ADO
DNQ
EDG
2R
DDM
DNQ
DDO
DNQ
CDO
DNQ
ADC
DNQ
EDM
DNQ
IDO
DNQ
GDT
DNQ
2020 BDC
DNQ
GDC
WD
EDG
DNQ
IDO
WD
2021 HDT
DNQ
GDT
DNQ
2022 IDO
DNQ
GDC
DNQ
GDG
DNQ
ADO
DNQ
EDO
DNQ
CDO
DNQ
EDG
1R
DDC
1R
EDM
1R
HDT
DNQ
GDO
DNQ
BDO
3R
GDT
DNQ
2023 BSD
1R
EDO
DNQ
IDO
DNQ
GDG
DNQ
ADO
DNQ
DDC
DNQ
BDO
DNQ
CDO
DNQ
EDG
DNQ
EDM
DNQ
GDO
DNQ
HDT
DNQ
GDC
DNQ
2024 BDO
DNQ
GDG
1R
IDO
DNQ
EDG
1R
ADO
DNQ
BSD
1R
DDC
2R
EDO
DNQ
GDC
DNQ
FDT
DNQ
HDT
2R
SDT
DNQ
CDO
SF
Performance Table Legend
W Won the tournament F Finalist SF Semifinalist QF Quarterfinalist #R
RR
L#
Lost in # round
Round-robin
Last # stage
DQ Disqualified
DNQ Did not qualify DNP Did not participate WD Withdrew NH Tournament not held NYF Not yet founded

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Niels Zonneveld PDPA Profile". PDPA. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  2. ^ "PDC Order of Merit". PDPA. 24 November 2024. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
  3. ^ "Niels Zonneveld | PDC". PDC.tv. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  4. ^ "2018 PDC Unicorn Development Tour 3-4". PDC.tv. 15 April 2018. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  5. ^ "Niels Zonneveld seals PDC Tour card at 2019 European Qualifying School". Sky Sports News. 4 January 2019. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  6. ^ "PDC World Championship PDPA Rest of the World Qualifier". DartConnect. 30 November 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  7. ^ "Niels Zonneveld plaatst zich voor WK Darts" [Niels Zonneveld qualifies for the World Darts Championship]. Uitgeest Online. 30 November 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  8. ^ Allen, Dave (13 December 2020). "Stars old & new preparing for Ally Pally experience". PDC.tv. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  9. ^ Hynes, Robert (16 December 2020). "Willie O'Connor sets up all-Ireland clash at World Darts Championship with win over Niels Zonneveld". Irish Mirror. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  10. ^ "World Series of Darts Finals: Maik Kuivenhoven, Niels Zonneveld, Mervyn King and Kim Huybrechts all qualify". Sky Sports News. 19 October 2021. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  11. ^ "Gary Anderson stunned by Niels Zonneveld in Amsterdam". RTÉ. 30 October 2021. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  12. ^ Brandhorst, Stephan (31 October 2021). "Uitzinnige Niels Zonneveld vestigt naam bij het grote publiek tijdens 'fantastisch dartsweekend'" [Ecstatic Niels Zonneveld makes a name for himself among the general public during 'fantastic darts weekend']. NH. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  13. ^ "Zonneveld stuurt wereldkampioen Wright naar huis, missers kosten Van Gerwen de kop" [Zonneveld sends world champion Wright home, mistakes cost Van Gerwen the lead]. AD. 24 September 2022. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  14. ^ Marinussen, Tijn (24 September 2022). "Zonneveld stunt in België: Wright onderuit in decider" [Zonneveld upset in Belgium: Wright loses in decider]. Darts Actueel. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  15. ^ Gill, Samuel (26 June 2024). ""That was kind of the ultimate revenge": Niels Zonneveld looks back at Peter Wright European Tour incident". Darts News. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  16. ^ "Niels Zonneveld reageert op boks-incident met Peter Wright" [Niels Zonneveld responds to fist bump incident with Peter Wright]. Double Top. 25 June 2024. Retrieved 27 November 2024 – via YouTube.
  17. ^ Wood, Kieran (17 December 2023). "Niels Zonneveld triumphs in incredibly dramatic finale to take first World Darts Championship win". Darts News. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
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