For Raymond van Barneveld, the 2024 European Championship ended in significant disappointment. The 57-year-old Dutchman, who previously reached the semifinals of this PDC major twice, faced an early exit after losing 6-2 to Ryan Searle in his opening round match on Thursday night in Dortmund, Germany.
Starting the tournament as the 25th seed, Van Barneveld didn’t play poorly but found himself comfortably outmatched by a very impressive Searle. “I knew beforehand that this was going to be a very difficult match,” Van Barneveld reflected to Dutch media afterward. “I’ve never actually seen Searle throw badly before.”
Despite having moments of brilliance, Van Barneveld struggled to find his rhythm, particularly with the trebles. “I could not find enough trebles, although on the practice board it went very well. Only when I was down 5-0 did I manage to throw some good legs,” he admitted.
“Maybe it was because I was suddenly more relaxed at the board. I even threw a 10-darter and had chances to reduce the deficit further, but realistically, the game was already lost. Ryan was simply the rightful winner tonight. He played extremely well and was in control throughout the match.”
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Even in defeat, Van Barneveld didn’t feel he had underperformed. “I averaged 96, which isn’t bad, but he punished every mistake I made and left me with no chance,” he said. “Averages don’t really say much; I took a beating tonight, and that’s what it comes down to.”
With major tournaments like the Grand Slam of Darts, the Players Championship Finals, and the World Darts Championship still ahead, Van Barneveld remains focused on the future. “On to the next one, but this quick exit certainly doesn’t help my self-confidence,” he concluded.
Van Barneveld will be back in action next week for Players Championship 29 and 30 in Leicester, marking the final events of the year.
