World Championship runner-up Gian van Veen has withdrawn from Thursday’s Premier League Darts night in Dublin after being diagnosed with kidney stones. The 23-year-old Dutchman, who lost to Luke Littler in his maiden world final appearance in January, remains in hospital.
Van Veen currently sits fourth in the Premier League table after three runner-up finishes from the opening six rounds. His scheduled opponent, fellow Dutchman Michael van Gerwen, will now receive a bye directly into the semi-finals and will earn two league points and a plus one leg difference, while Van Veen’s leg difference will minus six.
Van Gerwen previously withdrew from Night Three of this year’s Premier League due to illness. He returned the following week but has not won in the last three weeks. Meanwhile, Jonny Clayton leads the standings by eight points and faces Luke Humphries in the quarter-finals.
Other quarter-finals include Luke Littler vs Stephen Bunting and Josh Rock vs Gerwyn Price. The top four after 16 weeks qualify for finals night at London’s O2 Arena on 28 May. Clayton, Littler, Price and Van Veen currently occupy those spots, with defending champion Humphries just outside.
