''It's just not enough'' - Raymond van Barneveld realistic after exit against Jonny Clayton at World Matchplay

On Saturday night Raymond van Barneveld failed to qualify for the second round at the World Matchplay. The 57-year-old certainly did not play a bad match against Jonny Clayton, but lost 10-7 to the Welshman.

It was the fourteenth time for Van Barneveld to compete in this tournament. The Dutch darts pioneer was there continuously from 2007 to 2018 in Blackpool, before making his comeback at this event last year. In his first five appearances, Van Barneveld reached at least the quarterfinals each time. In 2010 that resulted in a final place, but in the final 'Barney' lost to his great tormentor Phil Taylor. After 2011, Van Barneveld never made it past the last sixteen.

Clayton already showed good form prior to this tournament by winning a Players Championship tournament in early July. That was his first title for "The Ferret" since the spring of 2023. Clayton pulled through the regained form with an average of 100.77 and a finishing percentage of 40 percent. Van Barneveld countered with an average of 96 and a finishing percentage of 33 percent.

''The start was strange and the first three to four legs I didn't feel good,'' Van Barneveld said afterwards in an initial reaction at Viaplay. ''I've been searching a bit again lately,'' he then referred to the weight of arrows. ''21 grams, 22 grams or 23 grams.... Occasionally it falls incredibly easy, but not tonight. He (Jonny Clayton, ed.) actually punished everything all evening.''

Scoring-wise, Van Barneveld was too shaky to really shake Clayton. Scores of 140 were regularly followed up with scores of 60. "Believe me, I've been playing darts for 40 years, there's just no explanation for that. I do everything I can to be in form, but it's just not enough,'' concluded the five-time world champion.