Barney is fizzing at Price win
BEAMING Raymond van Barneveld vowed to crack open the champagne after qualifying for the Cazoo Grand Slam of Darts knockout stage with the “best performance” of his comeback.
Barney jumped for joy on stage after beating world No.1 Gerwyn Price 5-4 and averaging 100.08 in a thriller at the Aldersley Sports Village in Wolverhampton.
The five-times world champion, who won the Grand Slam 10 years ago, made a short-lived retirement three years ago and had to scramble to regain his PDC Tour card at qualifying school.
Van Barneveld, 55, said: “If you start from scratch like I did two years ago, it means that much. Now it’s time for some celebrations with champagne.
“I’ve worked really hard for the last two years. This is the best performance of my comeback, definitely.
“Gerwyn was giving it the big this and that, but he was a great sport afterwards.”