What an incredible night for Team Unicorn ace Dimitri van den Bergh!
Through to the Grand Slam quarter-finals for the first time after hitting an incredible 9 dart leg in his 10-6 victory over Stephen Bunting.
A history making night for the young Belgian. Only the fourth 9 darter in Grand Slam history and a £25,000 bonus to go with it!
“I just can’t believe that happened!” he said. “It is amazing. My first ever 9-darter. I was shaking and it is difficult to take it all in.”
“But also to get through to the Grand Slam quarter-finals is a great achievement and I know that I am capable of being here at the weekend and challenging for the title.”
After the first eight legs were all won on throw, the Unicorn star struck first to break Bunting and then he opened up a two-leg advantage. It could have been better but for two missed darts at D18 for 7-4, but Van den Bergh showed a lot of composure.
His throw wasn’t broken by Bunting throughout the entire match. Dimitri ‘s moment of magic came in the 15th leg....180, 180 and 141 on D12. A moment to savour and a night that he will never forget.
He wrapped up the match in the next leg on D16 after Bunting had missed a stack of darts to keep the game alive.
Dimitri will now face Mensur Suljovic in the quarter-finals on Friday night, but what a wonderful achievement for a young man who is clearly destined for great things in the world of darts over the coming years.
The Team Unicorn trio of Gary Anderson, James Wade and Michael Smith all bid for quarter-final spots on Thursday night.
Smith takes on Michael Van Gerwen, Anderson plays Wesley Harms and Wade faces German Michael Unterbuchner.
Wednesday 2nd Round results:
Dimitri van den Bergh 10-6 Stephen Bunting
Gerwyn Price 10-5 Josh Payne
Mensur Suljovic 10-7 Rob Cross
Simon Whitlock 10-6 Peter Wright
By STUART PYKE
Image courtesy Lawrence Lustig / PDC
