Menzies on his "worst moment" at the Matchplay

CAMERON MENZIES has opened up on his scary Matchplay moment and admits he longs for the day when he's talking only about his darts and not any mistakes or setbacks.

The Scottish star produced a brilliant performance in Dortmund to knock Niels Zonneveld out of the European Championship just days after Triple Z’s triumph at the Dutch Darts Championship.

However, in the wake of his 6-3 success, Menzies spoke about the Blackpool incident which put him out of the World Matchplay in frightening circumstances in July.

The 37-year-old needed medical attention after being taken ill during his second-round match against Ross Smith.

Menzies was leading 2-1 when he appeared unsteady on his feet and his opponent and the referee guided him safely off stage.

The Ayrshire star was cleared by medics backstage, but unable to return to the stage to continue the match and had to forfeit.

Menzies recounted the evening after his Zonneveld win and explained: "I might have lost the game no matter what. I'm not saying I would have won the game. But that was a bad moment. I've had a few bad moments as you know, but that was bad.

"I've been through tests and stuff and they believe it was just dehydration, which I hope that's what it was and that's a learning curve for me to drink more water or whatever it is when you are playing these darts events. Now I do. I drink a lot of electrolytes.

"I don't know if that's the fault, or that's the reason, I don't know. But I'm trying to learn from my mistakes because that was scary because I have had the best moment of my life and then, the game after it, that has happened and I wasn't in a good place after it because I'm not saying I would have won, but to go out that way breaks my heart a little bit.

"Ross cuddled me and it wasn't a very good moment. The PDC were great, we had the paramedics and stuff, but they wouldn't let me play because my blood pressure was so high, so I went through all the scans and stuff and we believe it was all because, well, as soon as I drank water, it dropped, but we believe it was dehydration, so that's something I need to learn, drinking more water and stuff.

"I've had the best moment of my darts career and then two days later I have had the worst moment of my darts career and it was a bit gutting because my friends were there, my missus was there, my best friend and his girlfriend was there, I had six or seven people there with me and to go out that way was a bit disheartening. It's up there with one of the worst moments of my darts career, but it made me realise I have to look after myself more. I'm not 22 any more. 22 stone, that's about it!"

Menzies has shown tremendous courage to come back from difficult moments in the past and this was the latest.

He had tournament success after a spell out injured following the incident with the table-punching at the last World Championship.

Menzies hopes for the day talk is just about the game as, when asked, he added: "I'd like to have a conversation with you and not have these obstacles, that would be my aim. I'd like to talk to you as a dart player and not the guy who makes mistakes in a grand stand. The table incident, och, I could name it, there's been a few and I'm not proud of it and it's moments that's going to have to, unfortunately, stick with me for the rest of my life.

"But I'm in a lucky situation to be a dart player, a decent dart player. There's kids on the Challenge Tour and Development Tour that will take my place in a couple of years, so I'm lucky to be here. So I'd like to be here without the mistakes I have made. But the mistakes have made me realise how lucky I am to be here, I love to be here and I'd like to be easier than what it is because I have made mistakes and have to live with them, it's hard."