"I won't give up, but it's very painful" - Dimitri Van den Bergh hit by fresh blow as struggles for form continue

The third Players Championship of the season has once again failed to spark a turnaround for Dimitri Van den Bergh.

After the two floor events last week in Hildesheim, Germany, the PDC roadshow moved to Wigan, England, for tournament number three of a total of 34 Players Championships. For the 31-year-old Antwerp native, however, it proved another disappointing day after an early exit.

Van den Bergh has been going through a difficult spell for some time. In April, he withdrew just before his first match at a floor event. What followed was a two-month break in which he stepped away from the competitive circuit.

He made his comeback at the World Cup of Darts, but even there he failed to reach the level we had come to expect from him in recent years. At the World Championship, he also fell at the first hurdle after a defeat to Darren Beveridge.

In Wigan, Van den Bergh hoped to kickstart an upward trend at the third Players Championship of the season, but things went wrong immediately in his opening match. He faced the experienced Czech Karel Sedlacek, currently number 65 in the world rankings. Where many had anticipated a tight contest, it turned into a one-sided affair. Van den Bergh failed to put a single leg on the board. Across the match he had only two darts at a double, which typified his struggles at the key moments. Sedlacek took full advantage and sealed a convincing 6-0 victory.

Afterwards, Van den Bergh addressed his fans via social media. “I take strength out of the fact that I try and I also take strength out of the support that I get from all over the world,” said Van den Bergh. Earlier, he had already spoken candidly about the mental side of his slump. "Thank you dearly! I won't give up but it's very painful in my heart to play so bad."