| Denis Ovens | |
| Nickname: | "The Heat" |
| Birth Place: | Enfield, England |
| Hometown: | Stevenage, England |
| Since: | 1976 |
| Darts: | 20g LazerDarts |
| Music: | "The Heat Is On" by Glenn Frey |
| Laterality: | Right-handed |
| Bdo: | 1984–2000 |
| Pdc: | 2000–2015 |
| Bdo World: | Last 32: 2000 |
| World Masters: | Quarter Final: 1999 |
| World Darts Trophy: | First Round: 2007 |
| Pdc World: | Quarter Final: 2005 |
| Matchplay: | Last 16: 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2011 |
| Grand Prix: | Last 16: 2001, 2003, 2011 |
| Grand Slam: | Last 16: 2008 |
| European: | Last 16: 2008 |
| Championship League: | Semi Final: 2008 |
| Vegas: | Quarter Final: 2002 |
| Uk Open: | Semi Final: 2010, 2011, 2012 |
| Us Open: | Quarter Final: 2006 |
| Pc Finals: | Last 32: 2009, 2010, 2011 |
| Results: | Players Championships UK Open Regionals/Qualifiers |
Denis Ovens (born 1 July 1957) is an English former professional darts player. He is nicknamed "The Heat" and is now based in Stevenage.[1] Ovens is regarded as one of the most consistent players in the circuit, though he has as yet failed to convert his form from the circuit to the big stages on television. His constant second-round exits in numerous televised tournaments have led him to be called by commentators as "The Nearly Man".
His one good run came in the 2005 PDC World Darts Championship, reaching the quarter-finals before losing to former World Masters champion Mark Dudbridge. He has since suffered six successive second round exits in the World Championship – against Steve Alker in 2006, against Alan Tabern in 2007 (in a thriller that went to a sudden death deciding leg, with Ovens narrowly missing a double 12 for a perfect nine dart finish and a £15,000 bonus), in 2008 against Dutchman Jan van der Rassel, after defeating Colin Monk in the first round, in 2009 to Ronnie Baxter having defeated Steve Maish 3–0 in the first round, in 2010 to Colin Lloyd and in 2011 to Simon Whitlock.
He reached the semi-final of the UK Open in three consecutive years from 2010 to 2012, where he was defeated by Phil Taylor (twice) and Wes Newton and reached the final of the inaugural German Darts Championship in 2007.
Ovens retired in 2015. Almost two years to the day since his last appearance, at the BDO Swedish Open in 2016, the 61-year-old made a comeback at the same event. He lost 2–4 to Veine Hagen in the last 256 of the Swedish Open Men's Singles, lost 0–3 to Willem Mandigers in the last 32 of the Gents Classicand lost alongside Keith Wetton against Mauri Tuutijärvi and Ari Nevalainen in the last 16 of the Men's Pairs.
(W) Won; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Prel.) Preliminary round; (DNQ) Did not qualify; (DNP) Did not participate; (NH) Not held
| Tournament | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PDC World Championship | NYF | DNP | 1R | 2R | 3R | 3R | QF | 2R | 2R | 2R | 2R | 2R | 2R | 1R | 2R | |||||||||||||||
| UK Open | Not held | 4R | 5R | 4R | 5R | 5R | 3R | 3R | SF | SF | SF | DNQ | ||||||||||||||||||
| World Matchplay | Not held | DNP | 2R | 1R | 2R | 2R | 2R | 2R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 2R | 1R | 2R | DNQ | |||||||||||||||
| World Grand Prix | Not held | DNP | 2R | 1R | 2R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 2R | DNQ | ||||||||||||||||
| European Championship | Not held | 2R | DNQ | 1R | DNQ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Grand Slam of Darts | Not held | DNQ | 2R | RR | DNQ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Not held | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | DNQ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Las Vegas Desert Classic | Not held | QF | RR | 2R | 1R | 1R | DNQ | Not held | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| DNP | 1R | No longer a BDO Member | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| World Masters | 4R | DNP | 2R | DNP | 3R | 1R | DNP | 2R | DNP | QF | 2R | No longer a BDO Member | ||||||||||||||||||
| British Professional | 2R | 1R | 1R | Not held | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| World Darts Trophy | Not held | DNP | 1R | Not held | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| News of the World | DNP | RR | DNP | Not held | DNP | Not held | ||||||||||||||||||||||||