Raymond van Barneveld shocked by performance despite victory over Jim Williams: ''I thought my level was a lot better"

Raymond van Barneveld made it to the last sixteen at the World Darts Championship on Friday afternoon with a 4-1 victory over Jim Williams. But despite the generous result, "Barney" was anything but satisfied.

The 56-year-old Dutchman had great difficulty finding the rrebles, but was fortunate that Williams missed many chances on the doubles. ''I had an angel on my shoulder, I have to be that honest. This really does something to me, I have to start looking at myself in the mirror, because if you open the newspaper and you see 4-1 you think 'nothing wrong', but if he had thrown his doubles, I just had a very big problem today,'' Van Barneveld told AD.nl and others afterwards.

Van Barneveld had started the World Darts Championship with a convincing 3-1 victory over Radek Szaganski. Against the Pole, 'Barney' managed to throw an average of almost 100. Against Williams, Van Barneveld did not surpass an average of 89.

''I'm very shocked by my level today,'' Van Barneveld told the press conference later. ''I thought my level was a lot better. Maybe it has to do with the fact that I had to play an afternoon match. I didn't feel at home at all today. Then you're just happy and grateful that things are going your way after all, but tomorrow (Saturday, ed.) it really has to be different.''

Indeed, on Saturday night Van Barneveld will face teenager Luke Littler at the World Darts Championship. The 16-year-old prodigy has already won over Christian Kist, Andrew Gilding and Matt Campbell at Alexandra Palace.

''I can't wait,'' the five-time world champion looks ahead to the clash with the reigning junior world champion. ''If I play like that again, I'll have a problem. I've never seen him play myself, but he's fantastic.''