Kevin Doets will be one of four debutants at this year\u2019s World Matchplay, and the Dutchman is determined to deliver following his sparkling start to the season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The world\u2019s top 16 players going head-to-head against the top performing players on the ProTour; the World Matchplay is a showcase for the sport\u2019s elite, and Doets certainly belongs in that bracket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The unassuming 28-year-old has elevated his game to new heights over the last six months, winning his maiden ranking title, reaching a first European Tour final and breaking into the world\u2019s top 32 as a result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Following years of steady progress, Doets\u2019 rise has been accelerated in 2026, and he\u2019s relishing the prospect of gracing the iconic Winter Gardens stage for the very first time this summer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThese are the sorts of moments I\u2019ve been working for since I won a Tour Card,\u201d revealed Doets, who takes on former European Champion Ross Smith in round one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn my opinion, the World Matchplay is one of the hardest tournaments to qualify for. This is one of the tournaments you really want to be at, and it is finally my time!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m feeling confident, 100 per cent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI won my first title, I made my first European Tour final and I pushed Luke Littler very close at the UK Open, so I\u2019m in a really good place right now and hopefully I can continue that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Prior to his breakthrough ProTour victory in May, Doets featured in four semi-finals and a hat-trick of quarter-finals in 2026, underlining his consistency at the top level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Persistence finally paid off for Doets at Players Championship 13, as he produced a string of dominant displays to triumph in poignant fashion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWinning that first title was amazing, especially because everyone was there,\u201d continued Doets \u2013 one of eight Dutch stars in this year\u2019s 32-player field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy parents were there, my girlfriend was there, her parents were there. My birthday was the day after, so it was really special to do it that day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt felt like a weight off my shoulders, because I had come close pretty much all year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI made a lot of semi-finals and quarter-finals, so to finally become a winner was a great feeling.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Doets followed up his Players Championship exploits by progressing to his first big stage final just a matter of days later, succumbing to Josh Rock in an absorbing Austrian Darts Open decider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, the man nicknamed \u2018Hawkeye\u2019 has his sights set on further success, having already underlined his pedigree on the sport\u2019s biggest stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
His last two appearances at the World Darts Championship saw him advance to the last 16 on both occasions, courtesy of notable wins against Michael Smith and Nathan Aspinall respectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Doets won through a compelling tie-break against Smith to prevail in the 2024\/25 event, before reeling off six straight legs to stun Aspinall in December \u2013 arguably his finest performance on TV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t win a title for no reason. I know I am capable of beating anyone,\u201d Doets declared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAt the World Championship I\u2019ve beaten some big names like Michael Smith, Krzysztof Ratajski and Nathan Aspinall, but that\u2019s only one stage, so now I\u2019m hoping I can do it on others as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI really enjoy playing on the big stages, and I really enjoy playing in front of a big crowd. I think it brings the best out of me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m looking forward to the World Matchplay, and hopefully I\u2019m going to produce some good results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe target I set myself at the start of the year I\u2019ve already reached!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI really wanted to win my first title this year and I\u2019m so pleased I did that, but my main target now is to be in the top 20 after the World Championship. That\u2019s the aim.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Kevin Doets will be one of four debutants at this year\u2019s World Matchplay, and the Dutchman is determined<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14932,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[59],"class_list":["post-14931","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newsbeat","tag-darts"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t