2020 World Matchplay champion Dimitri van den Bergh becomes the first Belgian international to appear in a World Darts Championship Semi Final, facing a rematch with tournament favourite Michael van Gerwen with the pair meeting in the Last 4 of this year’s World Matchplay.
The Dream Maker clinched a 5-3 Quarter Final victory over former Premier League champion Jonny Clayton, including 13 180s as he became the first player into the final four at the Alexandra Palace.
The Ferret missed four darts at double to level the match at 4-4 but based on how the tungsten tussle unfolded, the right player went through in North London.
The tournament number 15 whitewashed Lourence Ilagen 3-0 in the Second Round before repeating the trick against compatriot Kim Huybrechts in the L16, claiming a 4-0 victory over the Hurricane who knocked defending champion Peter Wright out in the previous round.
Michael van Gerwen is looking the player to beat in this year’s World Championship, averaging over a ton in four of the five sets he played on New Year’s Day as he whitewashed Chris Dobey 5-0 in the final Quarter Final, dropping just three legs on the oche.
The Dutchman clinched the Premier League, World Matchplay, Grand Prix and the Players Championship Finals in 2022, and will hope for the perfect start to 2023 as he looks to end a four year wait for the Sid Waddell trophy.
The Winmau man has recorded victories over Lewy Williams in the opening round, before coming through a difficult L32 match against a spirited Mensur Suljovic, claiming a 4-2 victory despite the former Champions League of Darts winner stunning the World Number 3 with a 161 check out on the bull.
Van Gerwen fended off compatriot Dirk van Duijvenbode 4-1 in the L16, averaging 100.42 as he found his highest finish of 120 to seal the win against the Aubergenius.
Van den Bergh will appear in his very first Semi Final at the Alexandra Palace and will want to avenge what happened in the World Matchplay. The Dream Maker fell to a 17-14 defeat at the hands of the Vlijmen man as the pair collide once more in a PDC televised major Semi Final.
World Number 4 and Grand Slam champion Michael Smith reaches the Last 4 again at the Alexandra Palace, as he takes on German history maker Gabriel Clemens who caused the biggest upset of the World Championship so far, beating World Number 1 Gerwyn Price 5-1 to delight the many German fans who had travelled a long way to support their number 1 player.
The action gets underway from 7:30pm tonight live on Sky Sports, as we prepare to find out who will reach the Final of the 2023 Cazoo World Darts Championship.
Cazoo 2023 World Darts Championship: Day 15 Order of Play
Semi Finals:
Gabriel Clemens (25) v Michael Smith (4)
Dimitri van den Bergh (15) v Michael van Gerwen (3)
—–ENDS—–
Images: Taylor Lanning/PDC
Images: PDC
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