“I’m not thinking about losing” insists Van den Bergh ahead of debut World Matchplay final
Dimitri van den Bergh believes he can “make history” by picking up his first major title in his debut World Matchplay campaign as he prepares for a show-down with Gary Anderson in Sunday’s final.
The 26-year-old has embarked on a remarkable debut run to his first major final and is within touching distance of becoming only the tenth different player to claim this prestigious title since 1994.
Van den Bergh had previously never been beyond the Quarter-Finals of a ranked PDC major but has produced his blistering best in Milton Keynes this week, defeating Nathan Aspinall, Joe Cullen, Adrian Lewis and Glen Durrant along the way.
The former World Youth Champion is the first World Matchplay debutant to reach the final since James Wade in 2006 and is bidding to become the first Belgian player to win a major PDC title.
“One more game before I can make history and before I can say I am a World Matchplay champion,” Van den Bergh told Live Darts.
“I’m not thinking about losing, even though I’m playing Gary Anderson, I’m only thinking about winning.
“It’s the Phil Taylor Trophy. I’ve seen that man win tournaments in a way that no one else has done before and I want to be that player who has his name on the trophy.
“I’m so proud to be in the final but I want to win it now. I’m in the final for a reason, and if I manage to win it will not be an upset.
“It’s because I’ve worked hard for it and kept digging in and believing in myself. I will need to be on top of it from the start to the end.
“Whatever Gary is thinking or feeling, I’m going to leave him to it and be busy with myself.
“I’ll be ready and I think I have a big chance to be one of those winners who everyone remembers.”
Van den Bergh’s exploits this week have already secured him a place in the world’s top 16 for the first time, and ‘The Dream Maker’ admits the run has already been “life-changing” regardless of Sunday’s result.
He added: “One hundred per cent this is life-changing, because before the start I was 26th, now a few weeks later I am in the top 16.
“These are things I’ve been thinking of but I didn’t think it would happen so fast.
“I’ve always been working hard for it and everything I’m accomplishing here is well deserved.”
This will be only the second competitive meeting between the two players, with Van den Bergh having prevailed 8-7 in the Semi-Finals of the 2018 German Masters World Series event.
