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Dimitri Van den Bergh (PDC 8) was actually only fifth out of six Belgians at Players Championship 9. ‘The Dreammaker’ was already eliminated in round two. But that had a good reason: Van den Bergh is seriously in trouble with his neck.
Vincent Van Genechten
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Van den Bergh won his first match in Barnsley, England, 6-0, but then lost 6-4 to Glenn Durant (PDC-31), despite chances for the doubles. A disappointment for the Antwerp resident, but Van den Bergh didn’t just have a ‘bad day’. He has been having severe pain in his neck since this week.
“He can barely turn to the left or right,” said wife Evi Loyaerts. “Everything is completely locked on the left and you can also feel the knots in his muscles. There is someone from the PDC (the organization, ed.) who massages and even she couldn’t get it out. So on Monday we go straight to the osteopath. I really hope it gets resolved for him because he can’t throw normally this way. He is also in a lot of pain, says Dimitri himself.”
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No lump sum
Van den Bergh went around the world a few years ago when he played with a brace after a knee injury. But it’s the first time his neck has played tricks on him like this.
“Dmitri has always had some neck pain, but that is usually resolved after a visit to the physiotherapist. This time it started softly but since Friday morning there has been no start. I’ve never actually seen him like this. He can barely move his neck. Hopefully it will be a bit better on Saturday, but I’m afraid of it. I told him: keep warm and loosen up well, but will that help?”
But forfeiting this weekend’s two remaining Players Championships seems like the very last resort for the two-time World Youth Champion. “Dimitri doesn’t give up easily (laughs). He would rather lose than not throw. But if it really gets too much, I force him to rest. Before it gets worse. Because taking something for the pain is not allowed by the PDC. Only dafalgan or paracetamol, Neurofen, for example, is on the doping list.”
