These are high times for Belgian darts. Two Belgian players managed to reach the quarter-finals at the World Grand Prix for the first time.
ADVERTISEMENT
Mike de Decker made it to the last eight at a major tournament at the PDC for the first time in his career. 'The Real Deal' started the tournament with a fine 2-1 win over Damon Heta, who is currently ranked number six in the world. Decker kept his nerves in check best when the two played a deciding leg.
De Decker's best performance, however, came in the second round. The dart player from Mechelen completely destroyed two-time world champion Gary Anderson and defeated 'The Flying Scotsman' 3-0 in sets.
Dimitri van den Bergh became the second Belgian to reach the quarterfinals of the World Grand Prix. 'The Dreammaker' opened his participation in this event with a 2-1 victory over Luke Woodhouse, after which he beat Dave Chisnall 3-1 in sets.
It is only the second time in the history of the PDC that there are two Belgians in the quarterfinals of a television tournament. That previously happened at the 2021 World Series of Darts Finals, when Van den Bergh and Kim Huybrechts faced each other in the quarterfinals. At the time, Van den Bergh won the Belgian showdown 10-8.
De Decker and Van den Bergh could provide a unique performance Friday night if they both make it to the semifinals. That would mark the first time two Belgian players have been in the semifinals of a PDC major.
Before that happens, Decker will have to deal with eleven-time major winner James Wade in the last eight. Van den Bergh will face Joe Cullen in the quarterfinals. Should the two Belgians both win their matches, they will meet in the semifinals of the double-in double-out tournament in Leicester.
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.