Dobey handed Grand Slam of Darts call-up after Van den Bergh ruled out

Dimitri Van den Bergh has been ruled out of the 2021 Grand Slam of Darts and will be replaced by Chris Dobey.

Last year’s World Matchplay winner Van den Bergh has received a positive test result for Covid-19 and is subsequently self-isolating in Belgium.

As a result, he will not be able to compete in the Grand Slam of Darts, which begins on Saturday at the Aldersley Leisure Village in Wolverhampton.

Van den Bergh will be replaced directly in Group D by the next highest-ranked player from the same qualification criteria – in this case double Players Championship winner Dobey.

Dobey reached the Quarter-Finals on his Grand Slam debut at the Wolves Civic in 2016 – his only previous appearance in the event to date.

The world number 29 will take on Rowby-John Rodriguez in his opening group match on Saturday afternoon and also joins Stephen Bunting and fellow Tynesider Ryan Joyce in Group D.

The field is comprised of PDC tournament winners and finalists from the last 12 months, as well as various Order of Merit winners and Tour Card holder, Development Tour and Challenge Tour qualifiers.

This year’s Grand Slam of Darts will be the first since the event began in 2007 not to feature any BDO/WDF representatives.

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