A TOAST TO THE BOAST
Dmitri: Time for me to get arrogant
DMITRI VAN DEN BERGH reckons he needs to get cocky to take the next huge step in darts.
The bubbly Belgian is through to the quarter-finals of the Betfred World Matchplay and will face Adrian Lewis tonight in a lasteight cracker.
Van Den Bergh has been a young pretender for several years now – but the popular 26-year-old admits he needs to become less modest to make the big breakthrough.
He said: “You know what? Let’s get arrogant. It is time for me to become the player that I want to be.
“I have dreams and it is up to me now to make them come true.
“I believe that I can win this tournament.
“I have definitely worked hard and it is now time to show it instead of knowing you have it but not showing it.
“Now it is up to me to take an extra step. I know that I am ready for it.
“I am going to fight. I believe in myself and my ability, that’s why I am still here. I’ve kept fighting and never given up.
“Getting into the quarterfinals in my first World Matchplay is a big thing.
“It’s good to know I have been to the quarter-finals of the biggest event, the World Championships, in the past and I am happy. I am proud.
“My B game is getting better. That B game is picking up on the stage.
“Some things didn’t happen the way I wanted but you win some and you lose some.
“I didn’t feel that I was playing well in the last round, but I saw the averages and I was like: ‘Oh, is that what I’ve pulled off ?’
“Those are the things that I know I can do and it’s happening regularly now.”
Lewis has his own agenda, though, having revealed lockdown pep talks from darts legend Phil Taylor have sparked a revival.
He said: “Me and Phil go back a long way but I could win 20 World titles and he’d still say I’m rubbish!
“I used to practise so hard. Me and Phil used to do between eight and 12 hours a day. Now I’ve cut the hours back to three hours a day.
“But sometimes you think to yourself: What would he be doing in this situation if he was struggling?
“So I referred back to what Phil would always do – practise, practise practise.
“During lockdown he has tried giving me advice. I’ve taken that on board.”