Dimitri van den Bergh makes astonishing admission after ice-cold nine-darter
Dimitri van den Bergh makes astonishing admission after ice-cold nine-darter
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Dimitri van den Bergh has claimed he didn't even realise he had hit a nine-darter during a crucial moment in his game against Michael van Gerwen, as he beat the Dutchman for just the second time ever. The Belgian darts player secured his first win over Van Gerwen by hitting a stunning nine-darter for the first time in seven years. Two 180s, a T20, T15 and D18 secured the impressive leg for Van den Bergh, who admitted in his post-game interview that he didn't even realise he had hit the finish.
The 30-year-old said: "I was 3-2 down and the focus was win the leg (when I hit the nine-darter). I was saying to myself 'play your game', and I hit one, then I was like 'yes'. "That's what you need to do when you're 3-2 down in sets and you are starting, because it's the best of three – that means that whatever is going on, you've got to make it happen right now. "So I went 180, 180, then I went treble, treble, double 18, and I was like 'yes that's my leg'. And afterwards, after I played the game and won it, people were like, 'Dimi, you've hit a nine-darter', and then I was like, 'oh yeah, I hit a nine'!".
The Belgian also spoke about the chances missed during the match, noting that he had opportunities to give himself some breathing room but couldn't. Van den Bergh said: "I felt in the game that there were many opportunities and there were many moments where I didn't take them and in the end, I think it was written in the sky for once that MVG didn't have his night. "So, I'll just take it on board and me and MVG have just seen the stats, it was a 98 for Michael and a 97 for me. We didn't finish and score the way we normally do but tonight has been for me – what can I say, I am stoked.".
With a jubilant smile and fist clenched to the camera, he added: "This Belgian beauty is through to the freaking quarter-finals; happy days.". Van den Bergh will come up against Nathan Aspinall in the next round of the tournament, after the Englishman battled his way into the quarter-finals with a 4-1 win over Cameron Menzies. The matches will take place from 12:45pm today, with Van den Bergh taking on Aspinall at 4pm.
