Raymond van Barneveld says he is hoping to peak at World Darts Championship
"This year might be too soon, but I'd like to give it a shot again"
Tuesday 19 December 2017 18:42, UK
Dutch darting legend Raymond van Barneveld admits he is "still searching" for form ahead of his first-round match at the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace on Tuesday night, writes Raz Mirza.
The five-time winner last won the sport's biggest prize in an epic encounter against old foe Phil Taylor back in 2007.
Van Barneveld was runner-up to the 'The Power' two years later and has since reached three consecutive semi-finals at the venue in north London.
In 2015, he was beaten 6-2 by Taylor, while the following year Adrian Lewis knocked him out 6-3. And last year, Michael van Gerwen produced a sensational display to win 6-2, despite Barney averaging a remarkable 109.34.
The 50-year-old from Den Haag in the Netherlands admits his latest attempt at winning a sixth title may be too soon for him. He opens up against former bricklayer Richard North on Tuesday evening, live on Sky Sports Darts from 7pm.
"I'm still searching to find my form to be honest," said Van Barneveld, who lost to John Henderson at the World Grand Prix in Dublin before exiting at the hands of Rob Cross at the Grand Slam of Darts last month.
"Maybe I saved all my energy for this one and the World Championship. It's always special to me because it is the tournament. The last three years I have reached the semi-finals, but I hope and believe that there is a sixth world title in me.
"This year might be too soon, but I like to give it a shot again. I don't believe my form is that bad because there are so many players who are playing exceptionally well."
Van Barneveld says he is wary of Hampshire-based North, who only turned professional in January when he won a PDC Tour Card at Qualifying School, and marked his continued rise with a solid run at the World Grand Prix in Dublin earlier this year.
"There's never an easy draw and North is a fantastic player," he said. "Of course, I could have been drawn against Dimitri Van den Bergh, who is playing exceptionally well at the moment, but although I don't know Richard North, I know he plays well. I saw him at the World Grand Prix, so he's playing good darts.
"I have to stand up and play my A-game, especially in tournaments like the World Championship."
Maybe there is a sixth title in me. Maybe not this year, maybe not next year, but maybe in two or three years time. I still have the feeling I can do this.
The Dutchman was "gutted" after losing one of greatest matches every witnessed at Alexandra Palace last year when he lost out to world No 1 Van Gerwen.
Defeat to the eventual winner was hard to take for Van Barneveld, who contemplated quitting the game after the defeat in which his opponent averaged a mind-numbing 114.05.
"If you get beat 6-2 and you're averaging 109, you're thinking 'what can i do?' 'what is happening?'. He's the best player at the moment and it's so hard to beat him with that kind of average. That was really, really frustrating," said Van Barneveld.
"I was really frustrated about that match the day after. I was thinking, 'wow, what a game'. I was playing such good darts but was annoyed not to get a few more sets on the board. To me, averages are fantastic, but at the end you have to hit your doubles. That's what this game is all about.
"People still talk about that match, but I couldn't sleep that night. I thought about retiring but then Target Darts came along and I've signed a five-year deal with them. I want to give them another trophy."
It's over 10 years since Van Barneveld landed the big one, but he insists there is still room in his trophy cabinet for a sixth title, although it may not be this year.
"Maybe there is a sixth title in me. Maybe not this year, maybe not next year, but maybe in two or three years' time. I still have the feeling I can do this," he added.
"There are better players than me at the moment, like Michael, like Gary Anderson, like Peter Wright, like Phil, but if you have the belief than you can achieve anything."
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