Raymond van Barneveld was forced to celebrate his 57th birthday in Sindelfingen because he competed in the
European Darts Grand Prix there last weekend.
The Dutchman gave himself an early birthday present on Friday by beating Franz Roetzsch 6-2 in the first round. A day later, Van Barneveld had to face Michael Smith on his birthday.
The celebration did not go unnoticed, as German fans sang the song "Happy Birthday" to the Dutchman prior to his match against Smith. Van Barneveld could clearly appreciate the gesture of the spectators and gave a sign of gratitude. The five-time world champion did, however, lose the match against Smith 5-6.