"The pressure isn't on my shoulders anymore": Florian Hempel takes step towards keeping Tour Card in message to rivals

Florian Hempel will again face off against Dimitri van den Bergh in the second round of the PDC World Darts Championship after completing a superb comeback win over Dylan Slevin.

Slevin was made to rue missed chances as Hempel ran out a 3-1 winner with five 180's and a 91 average and the German ace who has not performed really since that heroic win over Van den Bergh two years ago will get the chance to do it again and prove he belongs alongside his compatriots in Clemens, Schindler and Pietreczko who have all taken strides over him since two years ago.

"It's a fantastic feeling, after the first set no-one believed in me and it was hard to believe in myself. After the Summer Break, I started a good run. My form is ok but could be better," said Hempel post-match.

Also flanked by superb support from the German fans singing his walk-on Kolsche Jung, Hempel was a proud man. "It's a great moment to go on the biggest stage and when so many people from my country are in the crowd, it is an honor and a pleasure."

But also he felt a weight of pressure lifted off with Hempel now back in the top 64 of the Tour Card race after finding his way through to the second round and he says it now shifts onto his rivals.

"The Tour Card wasn't on my mind, you know your situation but I tried not to think about the situation. You go to the stage and I tried to give my best."

"We have a look at the other guys around me in the Tour Card race, the pressure isn't on my shoulders anymore. I gave it to them so let's see what they do."