The Belgians Aim to Continue Their Impressive Run at the PDC World Cup of Darts
The PDC World Cup of Darts, the unofficial world championship for nation teams within the PDC, kicks off next Thursday in Frankfurt, Germany. One of the 40 participating countries is Belgium, a perennial contender in this prestigious event.
Belgium’s history in the World Cup of Darts dates back to the inaugural edition in 2010, when Rocco Maes and Patrick Bulen represented the country. Though they were unseeded, the Belgian duo caused an upset by defeating 12th-seeded Finland in the opening round before narrowly losing to Canada in the second round.
Over the following years, Belgium’s participation in the World Cup has been marked by the consistent pairing of brothers Kim and Ronny Huybrechts. This duo reached the semi-finals in 2014, an impressive feat, and they went on to finish as runners-up that year, losing to England’s Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis.
In recent editions, rising Belgian star Dimitri Van den Bergh has joined forces with Kim Huybrechts, forming a formidable team. The pair reached the quarter-finals in 2018 and the semi-finals in 2019, showcasing Belgium’s sustained success in the tournament.
“If they can do so, Belgium will undoubtedly be a strong contender for the 2023 World Cup of Darts title, building on their impressive history in the competition.”
Heading into the 2023 World Cup, Belgium is seeded fifth and drawn in a group with Singapore and the Philippines. While Singapore’s experienced duo of Paul and Harith Lim cannot be underestimated, the Philippines pairing of Christian Perez and Alexis Toylo presents a particularly tough challenge. Nonetheless, Belgium remains the favorite to advance from the group stage.
The main question surrounding the Belgian team this year is the relationship between Kim Huybrechts and Dimitri Van den Bergh. Reports of a rift between the two players have surfaced, and it remains to be seen whether they can put aside their differences and work together effectively on the big stage.
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