The tension between the Belgium team as they opened their World Cup of Darts campaign on Thursday night was palpable. Post-match, Kim Huybrechts went someway to explain the situation.
"It's something personal, something private so I'd rather not talk about it," he told Online Darts. No handshakes or fistbumps, no eye contact, no problem it seemed for Huybrechts and Dimitri Van den Bergh as they romped to a 4-0 win despite the lack of cohesion. "For me, it's the first time playing a doubles tournament with someone you don't get along with."
In the past, Huybrechts has been a player that has thrived at the World Cup of Darts. Firstly alongside his brother Ronny and more recently with Van den Bergh. Despite the recent problems, Huybrechtswas never going to muss the event. "This has always been my favourite tournament," he explains. "Why would I drop out? This is my tournament, my twelfth year here. No chance that I would give up the World Cup."
"It doesn't matter how the atmosphere was, the darts were good. Dimitri was very good. Friends or not were always an outsider and we can win this," concludes a defiant Huybrechts.