Dimitri Van den Bergh and Kim Huybrechts will collide for a place in the Cazoo World Darts Championship quarter-finals on a landmark day for Belgian darts on Friday.
Van den Bergh and Huybrechts will kick off a star-studded double session at Alexandra Palace on Friday afternoon, with a place in the last eight on New Year’s Day up for grabs.
The sport’s popularity in Belgium has soared in recent years, aided by broadcaster VTM acquiring rights to screen PDC televised tournaments as well as this year’s hugely successful Belgian Darts Open on the European Tour.
Van den Bergh and Huybrechts have been instrumental in this growth, with the latter becoming the first Belgian to feature in a PDC televised final at the Players Championship Finals over a decade ago.
Huybrechts also made two Premier League appearances in 2015 and 2017 respectively, although Van den Bergh has taken on the mantle of headlining Belgian darts in recent years.
The Antwerp ace became the first player from his country to win a televised PDC title at the World Matchplay in 2020, and has continued his ascent by triumphing in two World Series of Darts events in 2022.
“Darts in Belgium is now massive,” revealed Huybrechts, one of six Belgian Tour Card holders on the PDC circuit this year.
“I have to thank the people over there, I have to thank Belgian television, because they have made it so big. I’m also very thankful for all the Belgian fans.
“We have got an all-Belgian last 16 game now. This is massive. This is my 12th World Championship, but it’s never been so big as this moment.”
Huybrechts comes into the clash fresh from dumping out reigning champion Peter Wright in round three, reeling off four successive sets to complete a convincing 4-1 victory.
The 37-year-old will now take on his World Cup team-mate Van den Bergh for a place in the quarter-finals, and Huybrechts insists the pressure is on his younger compatriot.
“It’s going to be a good game,” added Huybrechts, a quarter-finalist on his Alexandra Palace debut in 2012.
“Dimitri is the favourite obviously. He’s got money to defend, he’s the current number one in Belgium, he’s a top 16 player, so he’s going to have to beat me.
“I’m just going to play like I did against Peter, try to outscore him, try to out-finish him. If that doesn’t work then he will win, but if that works, then I’ll win.”
Van den Bergh is bidding to secure a place in his third World Championship quarter-final, having swept aside Lourence Ilagan and Krzysztof Ratajski in routine fashion to seal his place in round four.
The 28-year-old enjoyed a terrific start to 2022, winning World Series titles at the Nordic Darts Masters and the Dutch Darts Masters, while also reaching the semi-finals in July’s World Matchplay.
Van den Bergh has struggled to hit the heights over recent months, but he possesses plenty of pedigree in the sport’s showpiece event, which he hopes will aid his bid for the coveted Sid Waddell Trophy.
“I’m twice a quarter-finalist at the World Championship, so I know you can go deep in tournaments like this,” added Van den Bergh, a winner of three senior TV titles.
“I will take it step by step, but I know from past experiences that I can win tournaments where the best of the best are competing.
“This feeling is what I’ve got to build on and believe in. I’m very honoured to be here.”
2022/23 Cazoo World Darts Championship
Friday December 30
Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
3x Fourth Round
Kim Huybrechts v Dimitri Van den Bergh
Gabriel Clemens v Alan Soutar
Michael Smith v Joe Cullen
Evening Session (1900 GMT)
3x Fourth Round
Rob Cross v Chris Dobey
Michael van Gerwen v Dirk van Duijvenbode
Luke Humphries v Stephen Bunting