Belgian darter Dimitri Van den Bergh is enduring one of the toughest spells of his career, with former professional and analyst Matt Edgar expressing serious concerns. Van den Bergh, a former World Matchplay champion, has seen his world ranking plummet to 36th and has managed just one win on the ProTour this year. Since last year's UK Open, he has not recorded a single noteworthy win at major televised events, and in a recent interview, he admitted he currently finds no joy in darts.
Edgar highlighted structural issues beyond a temporary dip, pointing to Van den Bergh's 87.33 average over the last 12 months. "That is not going to cut it or get him into a position where he has success on the tour," Edgar said, noting that averages under 90 often mean coming up short in modern darts. The analyst emphasized that Van den Bergh has "nothing guaranteed" now, with rankings offering no protection, forcing him to earn everything from the bottom. This precarious situation puts participation in prestigious tournaments like the World Matchplay or World Darts Championship far from assured.
Technical and mental struggles compound the problem. Edgar observed that Van den Bergh's throw "just doesn't feel there," with the Belgian often looking at the dart in hand and struggling with grip and positioning. Mentally, the playful, energetic darter known for dance moves and charisma appears replaced by a player weighed down by pressure, focused on defending his position rather than attacking. "Right now it just looks like the weight of the world is on his shoulders and he is defending something," Edgar noted.
In a drastic suggestion, Edgar proposed that a temporary step back from the professional circuit—even losing his PDC Tour Card—might be beneficial. He cited precedents like Raymond van Barneveld, who returned after a period away and climbed back into the top 32, Cristo Reyes' strong comeback after years out, and Ross Smith, who quit darts entirely and returned as a better player. For Van den Bergh, who is still relatively young, Edgar believes distance could reset him mentally and technically. "The thing that Dimitri Van den Bergh has still got in his favour is his age — he is still young," Edgar said. "We have a very experienced player in a young man's body as far as darts goes. So, I think Dimitri Van den Bergh, if he came back from a year or two, it will do him the world of good."
