Dimitri Van den Bergh writes history and may meet Michael van Gerwen, also Michael Smith to semi-final | Sport

After Van den Bergh and Clayton were tied in sets up to and including 3-3, the Belgian managed to place the decisive break in the seventh set. Then made The DreamMaker it off in the eighth set. He scored the maximum score of 180 thirteen times in the match and his average was 95.49.

Van den Bergh, who eliminated compatriot Kim Huybrechts in the previous round, already reached the quarterfinals in 2018 and 2020, but after defeats against Rob Cross and Nathan Aspinall respectively, he was unable to reach the last four at the time. He has now succeeded and in the next round a duel with Michael van Gerwen or Chris Dobey awaits. That party is tonight.

Van den Bergh was thrilled afterwards: ,,Normally I know a lot of details after a match, but not now. That is, I was not in control. We have thrown many exciting games against each other. I want to make my dreams come true. Today it just turned my way. I expected a lot from Jonny Clayton. He hasn’t done what he can,” he said.

,,I’ve been lucky, I must admit”, Van den Bergh acknowledged. ,,I’ve had so many innings in which I didn’t throw triples… My grandfather passed away in 2022. I wanted to do it for him. “I gave was enough now. But if I want to win the tournament, I have to improve a few percentage points. This was my first test this World Cup; I passed it.”

Michael Smith also qualified for the semi-finals of the World Cup. The winner of the Grand Slam of Darts defeated Stephen Bunting 5-3. Smith seemed to be heading for an easy win with a 4-1 lead, but Bunting was certainly not much less than Bully Boy. The big difference, however, was made on the doubles. For a long time, Smith’s finish percentage was above fifty percent. In the end, Smith finished on 47 percent on his doubles while Bunting was on 24 percent on finish percentage. That turned out to be the big difference. Smith now plays the winner of the quarter final between Gerwyn Price and Gabriel Clemens.