Van den Bergh learning to deal with pressure after Van Duijvenbode advice: "Have a smile and that's going to take a lot of tension off"

Dimitri van den Bergh heads into tonight's Nottingham Premier League Darts looking to put a poor week in Liverpool behind him and return to some of the form that saw him lose to Michael Smith in the Glasgow final.

“I was feeling very confident,” said Van den Bergh.

“When you go on that stage you want to perform, but I think last week was one of my weakest games in this Premier League.

“I’d had a gruelling week behind me at the UK Open and the Premier League in Exeter, but the only thing I can do is bounce back stronger, because I know I’m playing really well.”

But for Van den Bergh, it is about dealing with pressure and learning also from Dirk van Duijvenbode a tip which he has since been using.

“I am one of those players that believes it is all about how you bounce back,” added Van den Bergh.

“Whatever is put in front of you, you have to learn how to overcome this challenge and when you do, you know you’re going to be a stronger player.

“There are still moments when you know you’re going to be under pressure, but when I get nervous now, I just smile.

“I learnt that from Dirk van Duijvenbode. He told me: ‘I’ve been told when you’re nervous, have a smile and that’s going to take a lot of tension off your body.’

“That is what I am doing. I just learning from other people. It’s about going up there and giving it my best, that’s all you can do.”