Darts royalty Raymond van Barneveld believes he has yet another fairytale left to unfurl at Alexandra Palace – however admits Father Time will not be on his facet.
The five-times world champion, who married his second spouse Julia in Cyprus three months in the past, is all the time a harmful participant to come across within the draw when he is in love. Seven years in the past, impressed by the arrival of his grandson, Mason, Van Barneveld knocked out former world champions Adrian Lewis and Phil Taylor on his run to the semi-finals.
Now the Dutchman is mobilising his Barney Army for one final march on Ally Pally, saying: “I nonetheless imagine I’ve bought at the least yet another good run on the PDC World Championship left in me however the usual now could be off the dimensions. Where do they get it from?
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“I do know I can do it, however I certified for many of the majors this 12 months and by no means made it to the second spherical, which did not do quite a bit for my confidence. Hopefully the World Championship can be a special story – however to win it once more is a dream. If I work laborious and play properly, something is feasible, however to carry the trophy will not be sensible.
“I’m not like a younger canine any extra, I do know the years are catching up on me. I look within the mirror and I see a 56-year-old man.
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(Image: PDC)
(Image: Getty Images)
“If I get through my first match at Ally Pally, I could be playing Peter Wright, so I would be the underdog because he’s ranked No.4 in the world and I’m No.29 now. But in my head I have to remind myself I’m a five-times world champion and I can still do it.”
Barney will play the winner of the primary spherical match between Mario Kantele and Radek Szaganski, which takes place on Wednesday twentieth December.