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Dimitri Van den Bergh Withdraws from Players Championship, Citing Illness
World-renowned darts professional Dimitri Van den Bergh reportedly surprised fellow competitors at the Players Championship earlier this week after he withdrew from the competition mere minutes before his scheduled match against Jose de Sousa. The highly anticipated first-round contest was set to take place at the Autotron in the Netherlands.
Sudden Withdrawal Stuns Darts World
Van den Bergh, a prominent figure in professional darts and currently ranked 20th globally, boasting nearly £400,000 in prize winnings in recent years, was forced to pull out of his Players Championship 13 match against De Sousa. The withdrawal occurred due to sudden illness experienced after his pre-match warm-up. He was also notably absent from Players Championship 14 the following day.
Reports Indicate Abrupt Departure
According to Belgian news source Het Laatste Nieuws, the 30-year-old Van den Bergh appeared cheerful and relaxed backstage before the unforeseen events unfolded. He abruptly gathered his belongings and departed from the venue, an action that reportedly caused considerable astonishment amongst other participating players.
Illness Cited as Reason for Pull-Out
Sources close to the darts player later indicated that while Van den Bergh had been in good spirits, he made a last-minute decision to withdraw due to a sudden onset of feeling unwell.
His fiancée, Evi, addressed the situation on Facebook, stating: “An explanation will be provided when the timing is appropriate. Dimitri would not make such a decision lightly. In his decade-long professional career, he has never before withdrawn from a match in this manner. The necessary action was taken. Justification is not currently required, but communication will follow when the time is right.”
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Wrist Injury Lingered from Previous Year
Van den Bergh concluded the previous year with a 4-0 defeat against Callan Rydz at the World Darts Championship. In January, he disclosed that he had been competing while managing pain for eighteen months, stemming from a wrist injury sustained during a house move.
Coffee Table Mishap Led to Injury
The darts star was compelled to undergo physiotherapy and shockwave therapy to treat the injury, which occurred when handling a coffee table.
Recounting the incident to Het Nieuwsblad, Van den Bergh explained, “We had to assemble the table upside down, with the top facing downwards. After securing everything, we flipped the table over.”
Weight of Table Caused Wrist Strain
“We didn’t choose the most efficient method, resulting in the full weight of the table bearing down on my right hand,” Van den Bergh continued.
“I couldn’t secure the table quickly enough with my left hand, leading to a loss of balance. My right hand was unable to withstand the strain, causing a crack in my right wrist.”
“For a week, I couldn’t throw a dart beyond the board at my feet, understandably, as it was my throwing hand.”
“I attempted to make the throwing motion, but the intense pain radiating through my hand triggered a spasm, causing me to drop my dart at my feet.”