Arno Merk won his World Darts Championship debut 3-1 at Alexandra Palace after returning to darts in 2023, following a five-year break after receiving hate online
Arno Merk has opened up about how online hate comments led him to take a five-year hiatus from the sport of darts. The German player made his return in 2023, before winning the PDC Europe Super League in November, which earned him a spot in the World Darts Championship.
Merk made his debut at Alexandra Palace in the tournament’s opening match. He secured a 3-1 victory over 2012 quarter-finalist Kim Huybrechts in the process.
That set up a second-round clash with either Noa-Lynn van Leuven or two-time world champion Peter Wright. The 33-year-old has now discussed his time away from the sport.
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Speaking to SportsBoom about his career break, Merk revealed: “There were some hate comments on the internet after my World Match. Then I took a year of break.
“I restarted, was like top four of Germany, but I wasn’t nominated for the World Cup. Then I took a break, went to live in Italy for three years. All in all, I took a break for five years.” He further explained: “I just made the decision for me. I wasn’t motivated anymore, so it was an easy decision.”
During his break, Merk barely played darts. He remembered: “I had a board at home, in Italy, but I didn’t use it – maybe one time a month for 20 minutes, but I didn’t play leisurely.”
His comeback started almost by chance. Merk recalls: “My best friend was quite talented, and I saw it, and I was like, ‘let’s go to some small tournaments at the weekend,’ and I noticed that I am still good at darts. And then I was hungry to get better and better, and here I am.”
Merk also faced jeers from the Ally Pally crowd during his entrance, but the German remained unfazed. He said: “I heard it, but I didn’t know why [they were booing], so I just went ahead, and so they stopped the boos. It was fine for me.”
He also dismissed any suggestion of nerves affecting his performance. Merk stated: “To be honest, I wasn’t that nervous. I thought on this Ally Pally stage I would be, but I wasn’t as much as I expected.”
Reflecting on the match, he said: “I’m feeling overwhelmed. I’m so happy. I also hit the first 180 on the biggest stage, on the biggest World Champs of all time. I’m just so happy and can’t wait to play my second match.”
Playing against Wright in the second round would be “very special” for Merk. “I’m so excited. If I have a wish, I would like to play Peter because he’s a legend. He’s very liked by the fans and is a two-time world champion. It would be a very special match for me.”
