In the 2007 World Championships, held at the Lakeside, De Ruiter made an excellent run by reaching the semi-finals, narrowly losing 6-4 in sets to the late Phill Nixon who would later finish runner-up to eventual champion Martin Adams.

De Ruiter played very few tournaments during early stages of 2008 due to vertigo and quit darts for three months until he came back to the game.

De Ruiter was drawn in a tough group consisting of James Wade, Adrian Lewis and Denis Ovens.

He only won a single leg during the three group matches and suffered two whitewash losses to Lewis and Ovens.

In 2012, De Ruiter returned to the Lakeside having failed to qualify, but having overseen a record eight Dutch players reaching the televised stages.