Dimitri Van den Bergh believes this year’s Cazoo Premier League will take his game to the next level, as he sets his sights on Night Four success in Dublin.
Van den Bergh has made a strong start on his return to the Premier League fold, and it took an inspired display from World Champion Michael Smith to deny him Night Three glory in Glasgow.
Smith and reigning champion Michael van Gerwen are the only players to have beaten Van den Bergh in the opening three nights, and the Belgian heads to the Emerald Isle in bullish mood.
Van den Bergh is locked on five points alongside Chris Dobey, Gerwyn Price and Van Gerwen ahead of Night Four, and he believes his best is yet to come.
“I would say it’s going according to plan so far,” said Van den Bergh, who accounted for Peter Wright and Nathan Aspinall to reach last Thursday’s Night Three final.
“My main goal was to win two points every night by getting through the first round, because I think if you get an average of two points per night, you’ll be in a good position at the end of the season.
“I am eager to learn and I’m also eager to win at least one of the nights. It’s got to happen at some point, and as long as I keep enjoying my game, I don’t see why it’s not possible."
Van den Bergh made his full-time Premier League debut in 2021, finishing fifth in the league phase despite boasting a 100.2 tournament average – the highest of all eight participants.
The 28-year-old, who also featured as a contender in 2018 and 2019, reaffirmed his credentials in Glasgow, denying home hero Wright before averaging 105 to dispatch Aspinall in the semi-finals.
“The Premier League is amazing. You have 16 nights of playing against the best of the best, it doesn’t get any better than that,” added Van den Bergh, the youngest player in this year’s field.
“I am feeling confident. I’m taking everything as it comes and just enjoying this amazing experience.
“I’m in a good head space. I am enjoying myself on that stage. I believe the Premier League is going to make me a stronger player, and because of that, I don’t feel any pressure at all.”
The sport’s popularity in Belgium has soared in recent years, aided by broadcaster VTM acquiring rights to screen PDC televised tournaments – including this year’s Premier League.
Van den Bergh has been instrumental in this, becoming the first Belgian player to lift a PDC televised title at the 2020 World Matchplay, before enjoying a landmark run to the Cazoo World Darts Championship semi-finals last month.
“The Premier League is live every Thursday on Belgian television, and the fact a Belgian player is competing, that is what everybody wants. It is amazing,” reflected the Antwerp ace.
“It is difficult to show tournaments on television where there is never really a player from that country competing at the highest level, so this is huge for Belgian darts.
“I’m very grateful for the brilliant support that I have. I know not everybody will be a fan of me, but you have to accept that, play your game and play for the people that mean a lot to you.”
Van den Bergh will take on Night Two winner Price in Thursday’s second quarter-final tie at Dublin’s 3Arena, and he is relishing the prospect of starring in front of 8,000 fans in the Irish capital.
Price has won the pair’s last two televised meetings, although Van den Bergh is hopeful of producing another strong showing following his recent exploits on Scottish soil.
“It’s the first time me and Gezzy have battled it out on that Premier League stage this year, but we’ve played each other plenty of times before,” continued the Belgian.
“The games between us always seem to be belters, and I don’t think it’s going to be any different tomorrow.
“I’m going to go up there, play my game, have a smile on my face and I believe anything is possible.”
2023 Cazoo Premier League
Night Four - Thursday February 23
3Arena, Dublin
Quarter-Finals
Michael Smith v Peter Wright
Gerwyn Price v Dimitri Van den Bergh
Jonny Clayton v Nathan Aspinall
Chris Dobey v Michael van Gerwen
Semi-Finals
Smith/Wright v Price/Van den Bergh
Clayton/Aspinall v Dobey/Van Gerwen
Final
v
All matches best of 11 legs