Cameron Menzies admitted he felt "numb in the best possible way" after producing a standout performance to defeat Raymond van Barneveld 6-3 in the opening round of the European Darts Grand Prix. The 36-year-old Scot reeled off legs of 11, 13, and 13 darts to triumph with a 104.5 average, registering his fifth straight victory over the Dutch legend. Menzies revealed to DartsNews that everything clicked as he found himself in a rare "purple patch" on stage, saying, "I didn't feel nervous, I didn't feel excitement, I didn't feel stress. I just felt good. I wish I could do that every game, but it doesn't happen like that unfortunately." He added that van Barneveld played well but he felt able to match or beat any chances given, describing the game as mentally and physically perfect.
Menzies also provided an update on the hand injury he suffered earlier this year at the PDC World Darts Championship, jokingly referring to it as "losing the fight with the table." He explained that he underwent an operation the next day, with checks revealing he was lucky not to sever any tendons or nerves but did damage a few. The injury still affects him in certain conditions: "When it's cold, I get a lot of issues, it goes numb, I get pins and needles. When it's warm, it's not perfect, but where I hold the dart isn't where the nerve damage is. The damage is on the inside of my finger and I hold the dart on the outside, so nine times out of ten it's fine." He noted that in Germany, where temperatures were about 21 degrees, he was fine, but he keeps a hand warmer in his bag for colder conditions.
Looking ahead, Menzies now faces close friend Ross Smith in the next round. He expressed excitement about the challenge, saying, "I love Ross Smith, we go back 20 years. I'd love to beat him and get to Sunday, because that's where everyone wants to be in these European Tour events." Reflecting on his season, he acknowledged the ups and downs of darts, but emphasized the dream of playing in front of big crowds, from pub leagues to events with 3,000 people. He concluded by joking about van Barneveld, stating, "I do feel sorry for Barney, I don't think I've ever played badly against him. I think I've played really well every time, so I'm probably not on his Christmas card list this year."
