Raymond van Barneveld shares retirement plan after epic Dutch Darts Masters win

Raymond van Barneveld shares retirement plan after epic Dutch Darts Masters win

Raymond van Barneveld says he’s only got “two or three more years” left in him after defeating World Darts Championship semi-finalist Chris Dobey at the Dutch Darts Masters.

The Dutch arrowsmith rolled back the years to topple Dobey in the first round of the Dutch Darts Masters, posting a stunning 96 average in the 11-leg classic.

But it was the showstopping 144 checkout that lit up the Maaspoort Arena in Den Bosch, with Van Barneveld taking it out against the throw to confirm his progression into the quarter-final.

When quizzed on his future plans after the epic 6-5 win in Den Bosch, an emotional Van Barneveld: “Maybe two or three years in me. But to play in your own country, Germany, United Kingdom, it doesn’t matter they all support me. But here [in the Netherlands], I’m looking forward to tomorrow night because it’s going to be mental. Sold out already.

“Wow, what a game. I’m so over the moon with this win, I was struggling for a year now and finally I said ‘treble, treble and finally double 12’ [for the 144].”

Van Barneveld recently revealed he isn’t “financially ready” to hang up his arrows just yet, having announced intentions to retire on two previous occasions.

Progression into the last eight of the Dutch Darts Masters has banked him a welcome £5,000, with a whopping £100,000 on offer to the competition’s winner.

On his win, he stated: “I could’ve taken the first leg and that was worrying me in my game and then 3-1 down. I was thinking ‘come on mate I can do this’. Even Chris was a semi-finalist in the world, but he just played really good and he took his moments.

“And wow that last leg, I started well with a 140 and just never gave up. Just before I hit a 144 in my country, I’m thinking ‘I’m going to do this for everyone here’ and wow it went in.”

His reward for beating Dobey is a last-eight clash against last week’s Bahrain Darts Masters winner Stephen Bunting.

On facing Bunting, he added: “I know. I love Stephen, we’ve got along fine with each other for many years. It’s going to be a great game, I’m looking forward to it. But now I’m going to enjoy the rest of the evening, I’m really proud of myself.”

Elsewhere in the Netherlands, Nathan Aspinall was another seeded entry to be dumped out at the first stage, losing 6-1 to Kevin Doets. Luke Humphries suffered a similar fate, losing 6-3 to Jermaine Wattimena.

Rob Cross, Bunting and last week’s runner-up Gerwyn Price all progressed into the next round without any difficulties.