Grand Slam of Darts: Raymond van Barneveld believes he can win the tournament after amazing Gerwyn Price

Raymond van Barneveld said he is “not playing badly” after knocking Gerwyn Price out of the Grand Slam of Darts Watch every arrow up to finals day on Sunday 20 November, while the Ally Pally World Championship comes to Sky Sports from 15 December to 3 January

Raymond van Barneveld believes he can win this year’s Grand Slam of Darts – a decade after his last triumph in Wolverhampton – after knocking out reigning champion Gerwyn Price.

The Dutchman, who retired in 2020 but made a comeback in February after going through qualifying school, fell behind 8-3 in his first televised quarter-final in three years.

However, he rallied with seven straight runs and never looked back as his 20th 140 and his sixth maximum then saw him go 13-10 ahead and a 10th run of 12 edged him close to victory before holding off a late fight back from
three-time defending champion.

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Barney landed this massive 157 cash as the doyen of Dutch darts rolled back the years against Price

“I struggled for many years, but I’m so happy right now. What a feeling,” reflected Van Barneveld, reaching his first semi-final since the 2017 World Championships.

“8-3 down and I’m thinking ‘OK Ray, win a couple of rounds against the world number one’ and then it changed.

“I’m probably in the top five players of all time along with Phil Taylor, Michael van Gerwen, Eric Bristow and John Lowe, and everyone knows I can do this.

“It’s all about faith and I worked incredibly hard. I fought for many years and now with Julia (Evans) we’re getting married next year. She’s the love of my life and I’m happy.

“I love playing darts, I love playing in front of this great crowd, and yes, I think I can win this.”

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Relive Barney’s winning moment as he fights back from 8-3 down to reach the semi-finals in Wolverhampton

“Hawaii 501” in homage to Barney

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Wayne Mardle admitted he didn’t think Van Barneveld could play as well as he did for so long against ‘The Iceman’

To talk to Sky SportsWayne Mardle said: “I’m friends with Raymond, I like him as a person and I love and admire him as a darts player, but I didn’t think he could do it!

“To be completely honest, I didn’t think he could play that well for that long. We know he can play that well, but not for that long against someone who does that to you. Full credit, absolutely full credit.

“Gerwyn Price was really penalized for his missed doubles tonight. It was 42 per cent but forget the percentage – the timing of his misses was penalized to the back because it was about the perfect timing for Raymond van Barneveld.

“The 140, the timing, the double under pressure, it was just the perfect performance. There were moments in that game where I don’t think Raymond has thrown that well in maybe his entire career.

“The fluency was just there for everyone to see and the authority with which he threw. I don’t think many people ever feel that way in their darts career or maybe life in general – it was that good.”

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Relive all the best finishes from quarter-final night at the Grand Slam of Darts

Van Barneveld will now take on Michael Smith for a place in Sunday night’s showpiece, after Smith recovered from 15-13 down to see off Joe Cullen in a gripping final-leg decider.

“I’m so happy for him,” Mardle added. “He will feel now that if I keep working hard I will get the reward. His reward is (a semi-final) against Michael Smith, who was incredible.”

Watch the Grand Slam of Darts at Aldersley Leisure Village in Wolverhampton all the way to the final on 20 November – with every session live on Sky Sports & don’t forget the World Championship is also coming to Sky Sports from 15 December to 3 January.