"You get ridiculed on stage and then you go and applaud that person" - Dimitri Van den Bergh receives criticism from compatriot after 2024 World Matchplay

Dimitri Van den Bergh went down 16-10 against Luke Humphries in the quarterfinals of the 2024 World Matchplay last week. Afterwards, one incident in particular from during the match, drew discussion.

With the game delicately poised at 11-10 in Humphries' favour, Van den Bergh was beginning to start feeling the pressure. As he often does in such circumstances, the Belgian then began to take his time and go through his pre-throw routine in order to get himself ready. It definitely worked too, as the Belgian hit back to back 180s, celebrating the second maximum with a shrug of the shoulders right in front of Humphries. Despite the successive 180s leaving Van den Bergh waiting on 52 for a level game, Humphries showed his class and pinned a sublime 106 checkout, going single 20, treble 18 and double 16 to keep his opponent at bay. After nailing the double, Humphries retorted with a mocking shoulder shrug of his own, sparking a reaction from Sky Sports commentator Dan Dawson. Van den Bergh took Humphries response well though, laughing it off and congratulating his opponent's brilliance.

Read also

"He's like the marmite player of darts": Emma Paton and Polly James debate Van den Bergh's divisive 'mind games'

"I do think Humphries was irritated," reflected Van den Bergh's Belgian compatriot Brian Raman on the Double Top podcast. "Not so much by Van den Bergh maybe, but he was mostly not satisfied with his own game. Although it was quite a good match, but it was very hard work for both players. They both indicated that in their post-match interviews as well."

Dimitri Van den Bergh reached at least the quarter-finals four times in his five appearances at the World Matchplay

"Dimitri may have missed a chance to win in that match," Raman continued. "After all, at times he missed crucial doubles and if they did fall, the result might have been reversed. There were certainly opportunities in that match and when he analyzes it afterwards he will certainly consider this a missed opportunity."

After that incident at 11-10, Van den Bergh gave and fist to Humphries and stood around laughing about the admittedly hilarious situation. "I would never have done that myself," Raman said. "You get ridiculed on stage and then you go and applaud that person. Obviously it was sporting of Dimitri, but after that incident he didn't win another leg, you just noticed his concentration was gone."

"That's sometimes the problem with Dimitri, he's too humble to everyone. He tries to project that sporting image to everyone, but sometimes he just needs to show more fighter's mentality. He certainly has that in him, by the way, but it doesn't come out enough yet," Raman concludes.

Read also

Field of participants for New Zealand Darts Masters 2024: Luke Humphries & Luke Littler headline as Michael van Gerwen opts out