Ronny Huybrechts back on Pro Tour after four-year absence: "Euphoric, but on the other hand I have nothing yet"

Ronny Huybrechts captured a Tour Card for the next two years at Q-School last week. In doing so, 'The Rebel' surprised himself as well.

Huybrechts has double feelings about conquering a Tour Card. "I am a bit euphoric on the one hand. It's still an achievement to be there again at this age. But on the other hand: you don't have anything yet, hey. I may join, but that is no guarantee of success. So I have a double feeling, but in a positive way. I'm really proud of myself. Whether it was expected? Yes and no. The level is rising tremendously and everywhere. The last few months I started training more and the appetite came back. In December I won a few tournaments, and not small ones, so the confidence was back," Huybrechts told Het Nieuwsblad.

The 57-year-old Belgian first captured a Tour Card ten years ago. "At the last one (in 2019, ed.) it was a bit too much then. The constant travelling and working in between... In time, the motivation to train was also a bit gone, not illogical when you constantly get knocks from those guys. Then after a while you reluctantly go to tournaments and your self-confidence drops. It's true that just last year I said I've gotten too old, but I wanted to try one more time. I wanted to go crazy one more time. My wife also said it: go for it one more time. And it worked out wonderfully."

Hell

Huybrechts' compatriot Mike De Decker labelled Q-School as hell. "Yes, it really is hell," Huybrechts said.

"Seven days in a row you are running on the tips of your toes. You might perform less one day, but that's it. For the rest, it's pure focus. They are also long days. You start early in the morning and when you get far, it's soon evening. I made it straight to the final stage, but I lost straight away the following day. Not sharp enough huh and we are already not the greatest sportsmen. (laughs) I'm not going to go to the gym or run regularly at 57. I'm going to do something about that. It's going to be healthy eating for the next few months and crawling into bed on time. You have to do that if you want to perform at the top, just ask Kim. You have to be mentally and physically fit."

Besides darts, Huybrechts has a full-time day job as a warehouse worker. "In the first place, my goal is to keep it up for two years," he echoes. "Then I have to get time off from my boss, though, so we are analysing the calendar here. I want to keep working anyway, because I haven't earned anything yet, lol. If I were to quit now and it becomes nothing, go and find work at my age."

Travelling together

So Ronny Huybrechts is back together with his brother Kim on the Pro Tour for the next two years. "He is super proud and very happy for me," he echoes. "We can now travel to tournaments together again. Sleeping together? No, not that. Kim suffers from sleep apnoea and doesn't want to bother others with that."