Nick Kenny bursts into tears after knocking Raymond van Barneveld out of PDC World Championship
Raymond van Barneveld has been dumped out of the PDC World Championship – with his opponent Nick Kenny reduced to tears. The five-time world darts champion lost 3-1 in the second round at Alexandra Palace on Saturday night. Kenny failed to contain his delight after beating Van BarneveldX / SkySportsDarts He was reduced to tears after sealing his place in the third roundX / SkySportsDarts Van Barneveld, who has won four BDO world titles and one PDC crown, struggled to settle into the match. He mustered an average of just 84.64 against his Welsh opponent – sparking fear that he could soon walk away from the sport. The Dutch icon crashed out in the fourth round to Luke Littler last year, and despite having the crowd in his corner this time out, failed to put on a show for his adoring fans. As for Kenny, he has now reached the third round at Ally Pally for the first time in his career. And his emotion got the better of him immediately after hitting D4 – his ninth match dart of the contest. The unseeded Newport native jubilantly celebrated on the stage, before breaking down after embracing Van Barneveld. His reward for beating the 57-year-old is a match-up with defending champion Luke Humphries. Though he knows he will have to perform much better if he wishes to cause one of the sport’s biggest ever upsets. Kenny averaged 86.39 against Van Barneveld – hitting just 22.5 per cent of his doubles. But his emotion from his victory delighted fans on social media, with this X user posting: “Get in, Nick Kenny you beaut.” Kenny beat Van Barneveld 3-1 at Alexandra Palace on Saturday nightX / SkySportsDarts His emotions got the better of him following his victoryX / SkySportsDarts This fan then messaged: “Made up for him [Kenny], I actually got a bit emotional.” A third added: “Fair play to Nick Kenny there! Look what it meant to him.” Meanwhile others fans pleaded for Van Barneveld to walk away from the oche, as one X user posted: “Barney needs to retire. Can see the passions gone.” Meanwhile this user said: “Barney as done at this level. He needs to hang the darts up.” And this supporter simply stated: “Time for Barney to retire.”
Raymond van Barneveld has been dumped out of the PDC World Championship – with his opponent Nick Kenny reduced to tears.
The five-time world darts champion lost 3-1 in the second round at Alexandra Palace on Saturday night.
Van Barneveld, who has won four BDO world titles and one PDC crown, struggled to settle into the match.
He mustered an average of just 84.64 against his Welsh opponent – sparking fear that he could soon walk away from the sport.
The Dutch icon crashed out in the fourth round to Luke Littler last year, and despite having the crowd in his corner this time out, failed to put on a show for his adoring fans.
As for Kenny, he has now reached the third round at Ally Pally for the first time in his career.
And his emotion got the better of him immediately after hitting D4 – his ninth match dart of the contest.
The unseeded Newport native jubilantly celebrated on the stage, before breaking down after embracing Van Barneveld.
His reward for beating the 57-year-old is a match-up with defending champion Luke Humphries.
Though he knows he will have to perform much better if he wishes to cause one of the sport’s biggest ever upsets.
Kenny averaged 86.39 against Van Barneveld – hitting just 22.5 per cent of his doubles.
But his emotion from his victory delighted fans on social media, with this X user posting: “Get in, Nick Kenny you beaut.”
This fan then messaged: “Made up for him [Kenny], I actually got a bit emotional.”
A third added: “Fair play to Nick Kenny there! Look what it meant to him.”
Meanwhile others fans pleaded for Van Barneveld to walk away from the oche, as one X user posted: “Barney needs to retire. Can see the passions gone.”
Meanwhile this user said: “Barney as done at this level. He needs to hang the darts up.”
And this supporter simply stated: “Time for Barney to retire.”
