Van den Bergh hasn't heard from Wright since frosty handshake at World Matchplay: "Hopefully he's doing well but no message"

Dimitri van den Bergh made an excellent start to the Queensland Darts Masters seeing off Koha Kokiri in the opening round 6-2 as he was in awe at Townsville on his return to Australia.

"It was tough, I was talking a little bit before thinking wow you've been in Townsville all day, it's sort of a paradise. Beautiful weather, they call it winter, it's still over 24 degrees. It's different gravy but very proud and very happy that I managed to get through. I didn't play so bad, my opponent the couple of chances he got he took them. Fair play to him," said Van den Bergh to Online Darts.

Receiving a late call-up due to Peter Wright's surgery, he spoke about how much he had to change from his initial schedule.

"I did have a lot of things planned in August. I'm a JDC ambassador, we've got a tournament this weekend trying to get all these guys ready for Gibraltar. Unfortunately I've had to cancel but what an experience I am having so I have had a lot of things to change but all for the good."

But despite having a potential third World Series title in a row on his mind, he is not looking past Joe Cullen.

"At the moment I still have that chance to do it but one game at a time. Make the most out of the experiences, Joe is playing really well at the moment. Feet on the ground, get yourself ready."

Speaking of Wright, they had a frosty handshake at the World Matchplay despite their friendly history and he said they haven't spoke since then.

"I haven't heard or seen anything of the family. I've managed to get a little bit of information that he's having surgery, hopefully he's doing well but no message, no talk."