“There's nothing better than standing on stage with the crowd behind you” - Raymond van Barneveld refuses to give up despite recent struggles

Raymond van Barneveld finally notched a much-needed win on the UK Open stage on Friday afternoon. The 58-year-old Dutchman edged out Czech player Karel Sedlacek in a thriller: 6-5. The victory only came after Van Barneveld survived multiple match darts against him, but he ultimately battled back. The relief afterwards was clearly visible for the five-time world champion.

Van Barneveld knew beforehand he was in for a tough afternoon at the UK Open. Sedlacek had beaten him in all four of their previous meetings. The Dutchman was therefore on guard when he saw the draw. “He’s really been making strides lately, he’s playing well,” Van Barneveld said afterwards. “I was definitely on notice.”

That warning proved justified. On the Minehead stage, Sedlacek seized the initiative early. The Czech threw solidly and capitalized on a sluggish start from Van Barneveld. In no time it was 5-2 on the board and the match looked done. Sedlacek even had multiple chances to close it out. But that was precisely when the momentum turned.

The Czech missed his match dart, giving Van Barneveld another chance to stay alive. The Dutchman grabbed that moment with both hands. Leg by leg he clawed his way back and forced a deciding 11th leg. There he showed that his experience can still be of huge value. With a strong final leg, Van Barneveld ultimately took it 6-5.

The release at the end was immense. Van Barneveld admitted the match was anything but smooth, mainly because he struggled to bring his practice level to the stage. “I thought: how is this possible?” he said candidly afterwards. “Behind the scenes it often goes well, but once you’re on that stage, sometimes it’s one 60 after another. Still, I kept fighting. I kept believing. In the set-up and in myself. It goes 5-5 and the last leg was just fine.”

For Van Barneveld, the win comes at an important moment. His season had started extremely poorly. After a disappointing World Championship, he decided to step away from the sport for a moment and went on a two-week holiday to Thailand. There he tried to clear his head and recharge. He also experimented with a new set of darts, hoping to regain some confidence in his game.

The results had been disappointing so far. In the first six tournaments of the year, Van Barneveld bowed out in the first round no fewer than five times. His averages hovered around the eighties, which is simply too low for a player of his caliber. The criticism therefore didn’t let up. Here and there, some even cautiously suggested that the Dutch darts veteran might be better off quitting.

Van Barneveld himself isn’t thinking about that for now. “It’s still just so much fun,” he stressed. “There is nothing better or more thrilling than standing on that stage with the crowd behind you.” Still, he understands it can look different to outsiders. The in-match frustration can be visible and sometimes gives the impression he has lost the joy. “That’s because you often fall flat on your face,” he explained. “But I’m super happy with this win. We can build on this.”

When Van Barneveld says “we,” he refers to a striking new partnership. Former top footballer Rafael van der Vaart has offered to guide him. The former Netherlands international is a huge darts fan and sees ways to help Van Barneveld rediscover his form. According to Van Barneveld, Van der Vaart has already reached out actively. “He texted me this afternoon,” the darter said. “His father Ramon and some people around them are going to draw up a plan for me next week. I’m very curious to see what that will be.”

The Dutchman is visibly touched by the involvement of Van der Vaart and his entourage. It means a lot to him that people from outside the darts world want to step in to help. “I’m really moved by the enthusiasm of these people,” said Van Barneveld. “That people like Rafael care about me makes me happy and proud.” Whether the partnership will actually lead to sporting success will become clear in the coming months. For now, Van Barneveld is mainly grateful. “Fantastic, lovely people,” he concluded. “It means a lot to me that they’re working with me. Whether a lot or nothing comes of it, they’ve won my heart for the rest of my life.”

Van Barneveld ultimately lost 10-1 to Wessel Nijman in the fourth round of the UK Open, but thanks to the win over Sedlacek and Van der Vaart’s proposal, he once again has something to hold on to.