Jenny Segers/PDC Europe

'Full-time pro life just isn’t right for me' - Dimitri van den Bergh to limit PDC appearances going forward

Originally posted on Dartsnews.com | Last updated Jun 13, 2025 10:05 AM ET

Teaming up for the first time at the 2025 World Cup of Darts, the Belgian pair of Dimitri van den Bergh and Mike de Decker got off to a very solid start in Frankfurt on Thursday night, sealing a 4-1 win over Latvia.

Whilst Van den Bergh has been around the Belgian World Cup team for many years, for De Decker, this marked a landmark moment in his career. "It’s my first year – you don’t want to lose your first game," he smiles in his post-match press conference afterwards, also full of praise for his teammate. "Dimitri went out for two months, and then he comes back and he’s playing well. Like I said before, Dimitri on stage is a different animal. He’s always been a stage performer, and he showed that again today."
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As touched upon by De Decker there, Van den Bergh has been out of action for a couple of months ahead of the World Cup of Darts. Perhaps because of this break, there were some understandable nerves for the two-time major winner early on. "The nerves were there two weeks ago already – don’t worry about that!" Van den Bergh laughs. "There was so much attention on me. I had talk show requests from Belgium, Germany, England, Holland... Everyone wanted interviews, and I just didn’t feel it was the right time to talk. I didn’t have the right perception of the whole situation. It was all too much at the time."

"I did what I had to do for myself. A few people close to me – including this guy here (De Decker ed.) – had doubts. He always wants me to do well, and I want the same for him. He kept asking, 'Dimi, how are you?' And I told him, 'Mate, I made the right choice for myself," Van den Bergh continues. "I knew the World Cup was the target. I really hoped the PDC would give us a Pro Tour event a week before so I could prep. They didn’t – mid-May was the last one. But apparently, I didn’t need it. I worked hard, and that showed today."

"A lot of people have said they’re happy to see me back. That support gives me a massive boost – so thank you to everyone: internationally, to my sponsors, to my close friends and family. They’ve been amazing," he adds. "I stepped back to take a few steps forward, and tonight proves I’m heading in the right direction."

However, Van den Bergh is also quick to note that this does not signal a full-time return to the rigours of the PDC circuit. "No – this is me managing my career. Full-time pro life just isn’t right for my family. I’ve got a second kid on the way next month. Me, my manager, and my sponsors – we’ve got a plan," he explains. "It’s going to be professional in a different way. I want to give 100% in the tournaments I play – not 20% in all of them."

"I love to practice, reset, then come back strong. But now, it’s just tournament after tournament," he concludes. "So thank you to the PDC for all the opportunities, but this schedule isn’t the right way for me to play professional darts."