Anderson Plays Down Handshake Snub After Tense Win Over Van Barneveld

Gary Anderson insists there were “no hard feelings” after his tense and, at times, frosty encounter with Raymond van Barneveld at the 2025 World Grand Prix — despite the pair walking off without shaking hands following their dramatic last-leg decider in Leicester.

The two darting heavyweights, who share seven world titles between them, served up a tight, tactical battle on Monday night at the Mattioli Arena. Anderson eventually prevailed 2–1 to reach the second round, but the absence of a post-match handshake drew immediate attention from fans and pundits alike.

When asked about the apparent tension, Anderson dismissed any suggestion of bad blood in typically deadpan fashion.

“No, I don’t get upset,” he said with a shrug in his post-match media duties. “Maybe once or twice in nine months, but not tonight. I was fine. When I won? Yeah, I was over the moon. Buy yourself a fishing rod for Christmas.”

That dry humour summed up Anderson’s mood — calm, wry, and quietly defiant. His darts, however, did most of the talking. The Scotsman averaged 90.06 to Van Barneveld’s 86.22, hit two 180s and a 115 finish, and crucially held his nerve in the deciding leg of a match that saw both players hovering around the 54% mark on doubles.

A Classic Clash Between Two Icons

For long stretches, it was a contest that could have gone either way. Anderson punished missed doubles to take the opening set 3–1, capped by that 115 checkout, before Van Barneveld stormed back with a 3–1 second set, sealing it with a superb 109 finish.

The decider was pure tension. Both veterans held throw until Anderson, ever the big-game player, found double 4 to close out the match. What followed — the brief, wordless exit — added an unexpected edge to what had been an absorbing encounter.

Afterwards, Anderson admitted his stage form still lags behind his floor performances.

“If I’d figured that out a long time ago, I’d have done it by now,” he smiled. “I love the Pro Tours — love the travelling, the laughs, the people. But the TV tournaments haven’t been great the last few years. Nothing to worry about though.”

Double-Start Frustrations

The two-time world champion again expressed his mixed feelings about the World Grand Prix’s unique double-start format — a feature that still feels awkward to him even after three decades in the sport.

“I can barely end a game on a double, never mind start one,” he laughed. “Out of 31 years playing darts, this is the only event I’ve ever had to do it. Even down in Somerset where my lad Tai plays, I’ve never done double-start. I probably hated it if I did!”

Despite the jokes, Anderson’s statistics told a story of grit and experience. His checkout percentage (53.8%) was fractionally lower than Van Barneveld’s (54.5%), but his superior timing made the difference when the pressure was on.

Looking Ahead — And Loving the Game

Next up is a second-round clash with Joe Cullen, another former Masters champion rediscovering his form. Anderson praised his upcoming opponent, saying:

“Joe played well tonight. He’s been struggling a bit, but he came good — really good.”

At 53, Anderson’s enthusiasm for the sport remains undimmed.

“I just love playing darts,” he said. “It’s in my blood. Some days I play like I’m in my twenties, others I play like I’m ninety! But I still enjoy it.”

He also touched on darts’ booming prize money, with the 2026 World Championship winner set to pocket £1 million.

“A million quid — that’s massive, isn’t it? There’ll be players thinking, ‘I’ll win that and I’m done.’ But it’s brilliant for the game. Everywhere I go now, it’s kids playing darts. For you lot, picking winners in ten years will be impossible.”

Anderson Plays Down Handshake Snub After Tense Win Over Van Barneveld

“You throw darts, you play the game, you get beat, you shake hands, you move on,” he said.“Simple as that.”

There was no handshake this time — but as Anderson made clear, there was no grudge either. Just another night, another win, and perhaps a fishing trip waiting somewhere down the line.