Darts ace Danny Noppert has explained his ADHD makes him far from dull away from the oche, despite his calm demeanour on stage. The laid-back Dutchman effortlessly sailed past William O'Connor 4-0 to secure a spot in the quarter-finals.
Former UK Open champion Noppert, 34, had also put former world champion to the sword in the first round to set up the clash against O'Connor, averaging just over 97 whilst hitting a pair of maximums in that triumph.
Noppert has now opened up about his ADHD and how he is much more animated at home than the persona 'The Freeze' portrays while at the oche on . He explained how his condition actually helps his game.
"I have ADHD, so when I'm at home, I'm more hyper than when I'm at the darts. I'm not as boring like everyone thinks," admitted Noppert, speaking to .
"Darts is the one thing I don't struggle with. I have a busy life at home with the children and everything. But when I play darts, I'm a different person. I always manage to stay focused on what I want to do. I think the ADHD helps my regime and helps me stronger at where I want to be.
"I'm just a 'Steady Eddie Noppert'. Sometimes it's a shame about my game, and sometimes I'm really happy. I want to be at the level at the top, and when I'm at 100%, I guarantee I can do it."
Noppert's only major title came in 2022 at the UK Open. Coincidentally, he also faced off against O'Connor at the semi-final stage in Minehead before besting Bully Boy in the final. While he was an underdog for that title and is once again in Milton Keynes this weekend, the Dutch star revealed he likes being underestimated.
"Maybe I'm not the fastest player in the world or the biggest high scorer, but I do my checkouts, and I do everything steady. So yeah, what you say, maybe under the radar, but in the future, not," Noppert added.
"I think this is the way I play now at the moment, under the radar, but I want to go above the radar. Sometimes I feel like that, but for me, it's okay. It's the way how the media or the people want to see me. It's not about me."
