"All of a sudden I got told just before we had to go up": Van Gerwen left it till late to withdraw according to Van den Bergh

Ending his Premier League Darts campaign on a high, Dimitri Van den Bergh took his first night win of the season in Aberdeen. Receiving a bye in the semi-final as Michael van Gerwen pulled out, the Belgian revealed he was only told just before he was about to do his walk-on.

"I'm feeling ecstatic, I'm really happy," Van den Bergh told Online Darts after taking his first night win of the season. "Against Michael, he had to pull out. There was some injury going on and fair play to him I understand that you don't want to push yourself, he was already through to finals night which is so much more important than tonight."

Despite being understanding of the Dutchman's decision, the timing that Van den Bergh was told of the news left the Belgian reeling.

"I actually lost the bull against van Gerwen," 'the Dreammaker' explains. "Even though Michael was having some troubles we bulled up and he straight away hit the bullseye. All of a sudden, just before we were about to go up, I got told that Michael has had to pull out. The injury is just too much and he doesn't feel like he wants to push himself."

"Fair play I understand it but that puts me into a position," continues Van den Bergh who advanced to the final where he subsequently beat the winner of the league phase, Gerwyn Price. "It's not that I just got granted it. I still had to beat the World Champion. I still had to beat Michael Smith who has won three nights in a row. Just got to focus on the positives."