Dimitri van den Bergh has opened up about the pain of missing out on Premier League Darts in his hometown of Antwerp, admitting he currently feels no enjoyment from the sport. The Belgian star was present in the arena as the Premier League visited Antwerp for the first time last Thursday, drawing a crowd of 10,000, but he was not among the competitors. "That hurts a lot on the inside," Van den Bergh told Viaplay. "But I've always been a lover of the sport. So even though I feel that pain myself, I still enjoy watching and experiencing it. And now it's in my own country — in my own city where I was born." He noted that the event's arrival was the result of years of lobbying and growing interest since Covid, with darts now broadcast on Belgian television via VTM after he helped connect executives with PDC chief Matthew Porter.
The 26th-ranked player is enduring a difficult spell both on and off the oche, with a lot of prize money to defend in the coming months. "That miserable feeling is still continuing," he said. "I'm working incredibly hard on it. I have my medical team; I'm trying everything to get myself back to where I want to be — back to where I dream of being. But right now, I still feel nailed to the ground. It still hurts a lot inside." Van den Bergh must defend key results, including his UK Open title from two years ago and a semi-final run at the Grand Prix, though he pointed out that the World Cup of Darts does not count towards the ranking. His goal for the year is strikingly modest: "Honestly, I want to still have my Tour Card at the end of the year so I can keep working on myself."
Van den Bergh stressed that his struggles are mental rather than technical, as he can still hit 15-darters, 11-darters, and high finishes. "It's just the mental aspect where I need to become stronger," he said, before correcting himself: "That wasn't my best choice of words. It's not 'just.' It's incredibly tough to keep competing among the very best." He traditionally finds floor tournaments more challenging than TV majors, though he doesn't fully understand why. "Welcome to my world, guys. At the moment, I don't really know exactly where the problem lies myself," he admitted, but he is seeking professional support and emphasises the importance of a healthy lifestyle, citing Gerwyn Price as an example.
Perhaps the most poignant admission came when asked if he still gets joy from darts. "For myself, at the moment, no," he said softly. "It hurts a lot that I can't feel that enjoyment right now — that it doesn't make me happy at the moment. I've been able to feel that for many years, and I hope to find it again." Despite the pain, Van den Bergh remains determined, believing he can return to his best. "Why wouldn't I be able to reach that level again? It would be crazy to say now that I can never throw that well again," he said. "I want to come back stronger than before. That's what I find most important."
