Chris Dobey advanced to the next round of the 2026 Belgian Darts Open with a 6-3 victory over Dave Chisnall in the second round, but the Englishman was far from satisfied. In a post-match interview with Tungsten Tales, Dobey admitted it was "not the best version of Chizzy and definitely not the best version of myself," though he acknowledged that "any win against Dave Chisnall is a big win." The world number thirteen's frustrations quickly shifted from his performance to the travel woes plaguing British players on the European Tour.
Dobey pointed directly to Brexit as the root cause, stating, "I think we shouldn't have left the EU, I think that's the big problem. It's the same for most of the British lads." He detailed lengthy delays, noting that players had to wait "over two and a half hours just for the passport" and experienced similar issues in Poland weeks earlier. On the day before his match, Dobey's flight landed early around "half one or quarter to two," but they didn't exit the airport until "about ten to five," severely cutting into preparation time.
These disruptions have taken a toll on the experience, with Dobey lamenting, "I used to enjoy coming here, travelling straight through the airport and getting to see some of the city. It's off-putting because on your day off, you want to go out and see the place, but we didn't get to do any of that. It was just food and straight to bed when I got in." He expressed concerns about future events, particularly the Easter weekend in Munich, where he expects similar problems, adding, "It's tempting to think about skipping it, but I want to play in them all."
Despite the challenges, Dobey emphasized the importance of the European Tour, saying, "You love playing on the European Tour. That's where the big money is on the rankings, so you don't want to miss them." He remains hopeful for a resolution, concluding, "Hopefully we can get it sorted and start enjoying it again."
