Van Barneveld reverses decision to retire

ByReuters

Updated 29/03/2019 at 13:44 GMT

Five-times world darts champion Raymond van Barneveld has said he will continue his career for the rest of the year, a day after announcing his retirement from the sport.

Raymond van Barneveld of the Netherlands shows some emotions before he competes against Michael van Gerwen of the Netherlands during day two of the 2019 Unibet Premier League Darts on March 28, 2019 at the Ahoy in Rotterdam, Netherlands

Image credit: Getty Images

Following back-to-back Premier League Darts defeats in Rotterdam, the 51-year-old Dutchman had said he would stop playing with immediate effect in an emotional backstage interview with Sky Sports on Thursday.

Van Barneveld, who has slipped to 30th in the Professional Darts Corporation's Order of Merit, had originally planned to quit after the end-of-year PDC World Championship held at Alexandra Palace in London and has resumed that decision.

Raymond van Barneveld (R) of the Netherlands shows some emotions before he competes against Michael van Gerwen of the Netherlands during day two of the 2019 Unibet Premier League Darts on March 28, 2019 at the Ahoy in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Image credit: Getty Images

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"I realise that I should not speak out like that when I feel such raw emotion," Van Barneveld said in a statement on Friday.

"I want to end my career at Alexandra Palace during one final World Championship."

Raymond van Barneveld of the Netherlands walks out to compete against Daryl Gurney of Northern Ireland during day one of the 2019 Unibet Premier League Darts on March 27, 2019 at the Ahoy in Rotterdam, Netherlands

Image credit: Getty Images

One of the greatest players of the modern era, Van Barneveld has won four BDO world titles and one PDC world crown plus two UK Open titles as well as the Las Vegas Desert Classic, the Grand Slam of Darts and the Premier League.

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