DIMITRI VAN DEN BERGH has addressed the hurdles he faced leading up to the PDC World Championship.

The highly anticipated tournament kicked off on Sunday evening and has already produced some unforgettable moments.

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Christian Fisk hit the opening nine-darter of the competition, securing £60,000 each for himself and a fan.

Despite this excitement, Van den Bergh expressed that the World Championships could feel like a daunting challenge.

The Belgian ace entered the event with a commendable ranking, being the No.11 seed.

Still, he shared that he and several others found the previous year to be “overwhelming”.

He stated in an interview with HLN: “Over the last year and a half, I was competing nonstop.

“For the first time in my career, I had to pull out of a few events.

“I’m not the only one; it has been too much for many of us.

“Things are getting busier and busier.”

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Van den Bergh, 30, is the last player from Belgium remaining in the tournament.

Earlier, Kim Huybrechts and Mike De Decker were both eliminated before the Christmas break.

A former darts star discusses backstage events between sets at the World Championship

Huybrechts was defeated by Keane Barry, while De Decker fell to Luke Woodhouse.

Although Van den Bergh frequently participates in PDC events, he acknowledges that he is not the same player he once was.

He remarked: “The Dimitri of the past is not the same as the Dimitri today.

“I lead a different lifestyle now. I have a family and a wonderful daughter; we share a home, and I’ve also landed a new sponsorship.

“Additionally, I’ve gained a bit of weight.”

Van den Bergh is scheduled to compete on Sunday evening against the winner of the match between William O’Connor and Dylan Slevin.

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