Jan Dekker (born 25 June 1990) is a Dutch former professional darts player. He reached the semi-finals of the BDO World Darts Championship twice, in 2011 and 2014.

Jan Dekker
Personal information
Nickname"Double Dekker"
Born (1990-06-25) 25 June 1990 (age 33)
Emmen, Netherlands
Home townBolsward, Netherlands
Darts information
Playing darts since1999
LateralityRight-handed
Walk-on music"Explode" by Jordan & Baker
Organisation (see split in darts)
BDO2008–2015
PDC2015–2020
WDF major events – best performances
World Ch'shipSemi Final: 2011, 2014
World MastersQuarter Final: 2013
World TrophyLast 16: 2014
Finder MastersQuarter Final: 2011
PDC premier events – best performances
World Ch'shipLast 32: 2018
UK OpenLast 16: 2015
Grand SlamGroup Stage: 2011, 2012, 2014
European Ch'shipLast 32: 2017
PC FinalsQuarter Final: 2017
Other tournament wins
BDO International Open 2013
British Classic 2012
Czech Open 2014
Hal Open 2011
Luxembourg Open 2013
Nijerk Open 2011
Open Steenwijkerland 2014
PDC Challenge Tour England 2013, 2015 (x3)
Pontins International 2014
WDF Europe Cup Pairs 2012
WDF Europe Cup Team 2012

Career edit

Dekker qualified for the televised stages of the 2010 Winmau World Masters. He played eventual champion Martin Adams in the last 16, and was beaten 2–3 after Adams won a sudden-death leg.

He also qualified for the 2011 BDO World Darts Championship. He defeated 15th seed Scott Mitchell 3–0 in the first round, and 2nd seed Stuart Kellett 4–1 in the second round. He then beat tenth seed Garry Thompson 5–4 in the quarter-finals, having trailed 3–0 and 4–2 and seeing Thompson miss nine darts at doubles to win the match himself. He faced Dean Winstanley in the semi-final and lost 6–2.

Dekker was the sixth seed for the 2012 BDO World Darts Championship, where he lost 2–3 in the first round against compatriot and eventual champion Christian Kist despite averaging over 96. The following year, Dekker was seeded seventh and this time reached the quarter-finals, surviving a match dart in the first round against Jeffrey de Graaf, then edging Thompson once more in the second round this time 4–3 having trailed 3–2. In the quarters, Dekker led Richie George 3–1 but eventually lost 5–4.

In 2014, Dekker was seeded sixth and faced a fellow Dutch player in the first round for the third year in a row, this time defeating Benito van de Pas 3–0. He then beat Geert De Vos 4–2 and followed this with his first ever professional victory over three-time world champion Martin Adams, winning 5–2. In the semi-finals Dekker led Alan Norris 4–2 and had two darts to take a 5–4 lead, but eventually lost 6–5.

At the 2015 event, Dekker was knocked out in the first round, losing 3–1 to Martin Adams. Following this defeat Dekker announced he was moving to the PDC.

PDC edit

Dekker was knocked out in the last 32 on two of the four days played which was not enough to earn a PDC tour card. However, he had entry into all UK Open and European Tour qualifiers during the year ahead as well as the Challenge Tour.[1] Dekker qualified for the second round of the UK Open and defeated Mike de Decker 5–3, Justin Pipe 9–5 and Ronnie Baxter 9–4 to reach the fifth round.[2] He faced Mensur Suljović and was beaten 9–7.[3] In April Dekker qualified for his first European Tour event, the German Darts Masters. In the first round he was beaten 6–2 by fellow Dutchman Benito van de Pas.[4] During the year Dekker won three Challenge Tour events which saw him finish top of the Order of Merit and take a two-year tour card from 2016.[5]

2016 edit

In Dekker's PDC World Championship debut he was beaten 3–0 by two-time winner Adrian Lewis.[6] He lost 6–5 to Andrew Davidson in the opening round of the 2016 UK Open.[7] Dekker reached the third round of the European Darts Open by defeating John Henderson 6–4 and Dave Chisnall 6–3, but was thrashed 6–0 by Gary Anderson.[8] Dekker made his debut in the Players Championship Finals after being placed 54th on the Order of Merit and beat Steve West 6–3 in the first round, before losing 6–1 to Justin Pipe.[9]

2017 edit

Wins over Andy Jenkins, Joe Cullen, Peter Hudson, Joe Murnan and Dave Chisnall at the ninth Players Championship of 2017 saw Dekker reach the semi-finals of a PDC Pro Tour event for the first time, but he was whitewashed 6–0 by Michael van Gerwen.[10]

Dekker was able to qualify for the 2017 European Championship but was eliminated in the first round by Michael van Gerwen.

His best major tournament result came on 2017 Players Championship Finals, where he made it to the quarterfinals after wins over Michael Smith, Simon Whitlock and Peter Jacques, before losing to Michael van Gerwen yet again. Later on Dekker also qualified for 2017 World Series of Darts Finals, but lost in the first round to another qualifier, Simon Stevenson.

2018 edit

After missing out last year, Dekker qualified for 2018 PDC World Darts Championship. He made it to the second round, winning over his compatriot, Jelle Klaasen, and losing to Dimitri Van den Bergh.

Dekker did not qualify for 2018 UK Open and his only major this year was 2018 Players Championship Finals, where he lost his first round match against Ricky Evans (darts player).

2019 edit

Dekker qualified for 2019 PDC World Darts Championship via PDC Pro Tour Order of Merit and made it again to the second round after winning over Lisa Ashton and losing to Mervyn King in the fifth, deciding set.

After new rules for qualification for UK Open, Dekker was seeded into the third round of 2019 UK Open. He won over Harry Ward (darts player), but lost in the fourth round to Simon Whitlock. This was the only major he participated in this season. His only two good results in the season were two quarterfinals in PDPA Players Championship 8 and 20. At the end of the year, he dropped to 56th place in PDC Order of Merit after not being able to defend his prize money from 2017 Players Championship Finals. His Tour card was secured only because he won West European Qualifier for 2020 PDC World Darts Championship.

2020 edit

Dekker made it for the third time in a row to the second round of the World Championship, after winning over Ryan Joyce and losing to Jonny Clayton.

Yet again he was seeded into the third round of 2020 UK Open, but this time he lost in his first match against William O'Connor (darts player). It was his only major in 2020 season and because Dekker was not able to qualify for another World Championship, he dropped out of top 64 of PDC Order of Merit, losing his Tour card after 4 years.

2021 edit

Dekker tried to retain his Tour card in European Q-school 2021. He was automatically qualified for the Final stage, but gaining just two points in the Q-school Order of Merit, he finished 44th in the rankings and did not get a new Tour card.

Personal life edit

Outside of darts, Dekker was a student in the Netherlands, studying business and economics; he graduated in 2012.[citation needed]

World Championship results edit

BDO edit

PDC edit

Performance timeline edit

BDO

Tournament 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
BDO World Championship Did not qualify SF 1R QF SF 1R
BDO World Trophy Not held 2R PDC
Winmau World Masters 3R DNP 6R 4R 5R QF 1R PDC
Finder Darts Masters DNQ RR QF RR RR RR PDC
Grand Slam of Darts DNQ RR RR DNQ RR DNQ

PDC

Tournament 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
PDC World Championship DNQ 1R DNQ 2R 2R 2R DNQ
UK Open 5R 1R 2R DNQ 4R 3R
European Championship DNQ 1R DNQ
Players Championship Finals DNQ 2R QF 1R DNQ
Non-major televised events
World Series of Darts Finals DNP DNQ 1R DNQ
Career statistics
Year-end ranking 63 57 45 43 56 69
Performance Table Legend
DNP Did not play at the event DNQ Did not qualify for the event NYF Not yet founded #R lost in the early rounds of the tournament
(WR = Wildcard round, RR = Round robin)
QF lost in the quarter-finals SF lost in the semi-finals F lost in the final W won the tournament

References edit

  1. ^ "PDC Qualifying School Day Four". PDC. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  2. ^ "2015 UK Open Results". Darts Database. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  3. ^ "Coral UK Open Fifth Round". PDC. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  4. ^ "German Darts Masters Day One". PDC. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
  5. ^ "PDC Challenger Tour 15-16". PDC. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
  6. ^ "William Hill World Championship Day Seven". PDC. Archived from the original on 25 December 2015. Retrieved 27 December 2015.
  7. ^ "2016 Coral UK Open Day One". PDC. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
  8. ^ "2016 PDC European Darts Open Results". Darts Database. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  9. ^ "2016 Players Championship Finals Results". Darts Database. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
  10. ^ "Nine-Dart Van Gerwen Claims Victory". PDC. Archived from the original on 4 May 2017. Retrieved 2 May 2017.

External links edit