An emotional Raymond Van Barneveld bowed out of the Premier League – and the sport – with a 7-1 defeat to Michael Van Gerwen in front of his adoring home fans in Holland.
The five-time world champion had been due to retire at the end of the season but – after losing in Rotterdam on Thursday – decided to quit immediately after signing off his 210th and last appearance with throws of 180 and 140 on his final two trips to the oche.
"Yesterday I don't know where it came from, I played really bad, I lost 7-1 so today I knew I was in relegation and I felt ashamed," Van Barneveld told Sky Sports.
BREAKING NEWS! Raymond van Barneveld has announced he intends to retire immediately following his exit from the Premier League... pic.twitter.com/1UlZ5xW3GT — PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) March 28, 2019
"Five-time world champion and I was thinking 'Do I deserve this? I don't think so' but it is reality. I'm not good enough.
"For me I've made a decision I am done now. I don't want the pain any more. It's pain every single week for the last three or four years.
Thank you for all the Premier League memories, Raymond 👏 The departing of a Dutch legend, @Raybar180 pic.twitter.com/JBmp71qVYV — PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) March 28, 2019
"I'm OK with this decision. I'm relieved. I'm done."
He stood to acknowledge his home crowd as the pyrotechnics lit up around him but fireworks of a different kind followed as James Wade won six legs from the last seven to move into third in the table with a 7-4 win over Michael Smith.
Second-placed Rob Cross recovered from 3-1 down to beat Jeffrey De Zwaan 7-4 with eight maximums, with Gerwen Price defeating Peter Wright 7-5 and Daryl Gurney sweeping aside Mensour Suljovic.
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