Luke Littler delivered yet another standout performance last weekend, capturing the title at the Players Championship Finals and reinforcing his status as one of darts’ brightest young stars.
His campaign began with an intriguing first-round encounter against Jeffrey de Graaf—a match that produced a remarkable moment, as seen in circulating footage.
It is an incident the former Dutchman, now representing Sweden, will want to forget quickly. De Graaf’s flag change reflects his recent emigration, with the Swedish flag now appearing beside his name in place of the Dutch tricolour.
Focus Shifts to the PDC World Championship
De Graaf is currently preparing for the PDC World Championship, where he will face none other than Paul Lim in the opening round. With the tournament schedule now released, it has been confirmed that the match will take place on Saturday evening, 13 December.
Several Dutch players will take to the stage before him. Jamai van den Herik opens the tournament on Day 1, followed the next day by Niels Zonneveld, Chris Landman and Gian van Veen. Former Dutchman Cor Dekker—now residing in Norway—will also appear on the same day.
Immediately after De Graaf’s match, Wessel Nijman will step onto the stage for his first-round clash with Karel Sedláček. On Sunday, it will be Richard Veenstra and Wesley Plaisier’s turn to compete.
Busy Week Ahead for Dutch Representatives
The Dutch contingent remains heavily featured in the days that follow. Noa-Lynn van Leuven is scheduled to make her debut on Monday, 15 December, with Dirk van Duijvenbode set to play later that same day. Tuesday will see an all-Frisian showdown between Danny Noppert and Jurjen van der Velde, while Wednesday’s spotlight shifts to Raymond van Barneveld.
Michael van Gerwen and Jermaine Wattimena are slated to appear on Thursday, 18 December. Yet even then, the list of Dutch competitors is not complete: the following day features Kevin Doets in a matchup against Matthew Dennant.