"You bump into someone who plays the match of his life... Why?” - Kim Huybrechts left rueing his luck after defeat by Keane Barry at World Darts Championship

Kim Huybrechts went to the 2025 PDC World Darts Championship with high expectations. The 39-year-old Belgian wanted to put something right after it went wrong immediately in the form of a 3-0 defeat in the first round against Richard Veenstra at the Alexandra Palace last year. Sadly for Huybrechts though, again this year he's suffered a first round exit, losing 3-1 against Keane Barry.

Huybrechts, however, did not play badly at all, averaging almost 97 and hitting 10 maximums. However, some missed doubles at crucial moments left Huybrechts disappointed. "He threw everything out, he took all the chances," Huybrechts rued post-match to VTM. "Never before have I trained so hard and worked so hard in preparation for a tournament and then you bump into someone who plays the match of his life. Then you think why... why?”

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In many other first-round matches, such a performance would have been more than enough to advance, but that doesn't that's no good for Huybrechts. "Other darters get away with that and win a major. But against me they throw everything out. That's really the first thought that comes to mind right now. They get to face players who don't hit everything, with me they don't miss a dart. That may be a Calimero feeling, but it's how I feel right now."

Kim Huybrechts in action at the World Darts Championship 

Huybrechts indicated it before, never did he work as hard towards a World Championship as he did this year. He also looked sharp. “That doesn’t do you any good. This is really a disappointment. A blow to the head. An uppercut. In three days it might be over, but now... Why didn’t I see my family for three weeks and only concentrated on darts? Who did I do that for, for what?” Huybrechts concludes. "No, I can't say much useful now. Only that I can't blame myself.” And then again: “Why?

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