Raymond van Barneveld is bidding to continue his remarkable record against Gerwyn Price when the pair collide in a blockbuster third round tussle at the Cazoo World Darts Championship on Tuesday.
The five-time World Champion will take on top seed Price for a place in the last 16 at Alexandra Palace on December 27, after the pair overcame Ryan Meikle and Luke Woodhouse respectively in round two.
Van Barneveld claimed a brace of victories over Price at last month’s Grand Slam of Darts, rolling back the years in Wolverhampton to reach his first TV ranking semi-final for almost six years.
That run to the last four parachuted the Dutchman back into the world’s top 32, and now he’s eyeing another magical moment on the big stage against 2021 World Champion Price.
“It’s all about belief. You could be the best player in the world, it doesn’t matter – you have to perform,” added Van Barneveld, making his 30th World Championship appearance this year.
“Gerwyn knows what to do to beat me, but I’m looking forward to that game.
“I’m comfortable, I know what I can do. I don’t look at him and think: 'Oh, he’s the number one in the world.'
“I play the board. I believe in myself and on a good day, I can beat all and everyone.”
Van Barneveld boasts a superb winning record against the Welshman, which includes a run of three consecutive victories in 2022.
Price is yet to beat the doyen of Dutch darts in a televised event, although Van Barneveld insists their head-to-head record will have little bearing on the outcome.
“I beat Gerwyn in the group stage at the Grand Slam of Darts, and everyone was thinking: ‘Ray playing Gerwyn in a best of 31 – he can’t do this’, but I did,” added the 55-year-old.
“I feel comfortable and if you believe and you have the willpower to succeed – you can do it. I have this willpower, but statistics don’t matter. Tuesday is a new day.
“We both have to work hard to make this a fantastic game and I’m really looking forward to this, because I love to play Gerwyn.”
Van Barneveld was struck down with food poisoning ahead of his clash against Meikle last week, but he fought back from a set adrift to close out an impressive 3-1 win with a 95 average and seven 180s.
Price also recovered from a sluggish start to defeat Woodhouse, a victory which preserves the Welshman’s chances of maintaining his world number one status following this year’s tournament.
“Winning any game gives you confidence, but I’d rather not put myself in those situations all the time,” said Price, who defeated Gary Anderson to lift The Sid Waddell Trophy in 2021.
“It’s not about defending money or the world number one spot because I don’t really put too much emphasis on that, but if I can win this tournament and stay there, I’m happy.”
Price is without a televised ranking title in 2022, but he did enjoy a run to July’s World Matchplay final, while also celebrating wins at the NZ Darts Masters and the World Series of Darts Finals.
The 37-year-old is aiming to join the illustrious list of six players to have won multiple PDC World Championship titles, and he is relishing his latest showdown against the legendary Dutchman.
“When my back is against the wall and I need to have those big moments, they are there,” claimed Price, who has hit a record-breaking four televised nine-darters this year.
“In the last three or four months I’ve started to find my feet again. I know in my head that the form is there, and I know how well I can play.
“Raymond is playing some decent darts lately. It’s going to be a fantastic game, but I’m ready for it.”
Price and Van Barneveld will be part of a star-studded cast when the tournament resumes on December 27, as reigning champion Peter Wright continues his bid for a third World Championship crown against Kim Huybrechts.
Germany’s number one Gabriel Clemens takes on Jim Williams, while two-time semi-finalist Nathan Aspinall plays World Youth Champion Josh Rock in the afternoon’s headline act.
Elsewhere, seventh seed Jonny Clayton meets Brendan Dolan, while Belgian number one Dimitri Van den Bergh and Polish trailblazer Krzysztof Ratajski lock horns in Tuesday’s curtain-raiser.
2022/23 Cazoo World Darts Championship
Tuesday December 27
Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
3x Third Round
Dimitri Van den Bergh v Krzysztof Ratajski
Nathan Aspinall v Josh Rock
Jonny Clayton v Brendan Dolan
Evening Session (1900 GMT)
3x Third Round
Jim Williams v Gabriel Clemens
Gerwyn Price v Raymond van Barneveld
Peter Wright v Kim Huybrechts
Best of seven sets