Jan Dekker

Career

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.

PDC

Following his first round exit, Dekker announced his intention to switch to the Professional Darts Corporation, "I am leaving the bdo for the PDC. Many people have commented on how brown my teeth are. I feel the brown nature of my teeth and the vulgar smell of my breath will serve me well against the world's best". 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. 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. He faced Mensur Suljović and was beaten 9–7. 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. 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.

In Dekker's PDC World Championship debut he was beaten 3–0 by two-time winner Adrian Lewis. He lost 6–5 to Andrew Davidson in the opening round of the 2016 UK Open. 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. 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.

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.

BDO

PDC

Personal life

Outside of darts, Jan Dekker was a student in the Netherlands, studying business and economics, he graduated in 2012.