WINMAU Michael van Gerwen MvG Sets available with Dartboards, Cabinets, Surrounds, Darts and Accessories

Product Information

World number one Smith and Welsh star Price will take centre stage on Monday night, with Smith up against Newcastle’s Callan Rydz, while Price faces 2021 semi-finalist Danny Noppert. Van Gerwen is the 10/3 pre-tournament favourite to retain his crown with title sponsor BoyleSports, just ahead of 2020 winner Price at 7/2, and top seed Smith at 7/1.

He's been phenomenal all week but I never gave in. It's another final and I'm very happy." MICHAEL VAN GERWEN ROLL OF HONOUR The first round of the multi-board event features Tour Card Holders 97-127 along with 16 Rileys Amateur Qualifiers and 16 players from the Challenge tour and Development Tour. Round two will contain the winners from round one along with Tour Card Holders 65-96. Round three features the winners from round two along with Tour Card Holders 33-64. Taylor, sitting at a nearby table, smiles quietly. The world’s two best darts players rarely escape each other. “I see Phil more than my wife,” Van Gerwen says. “What can you do? We had 150 days of darts this year. And all the travelling and exhibitions mean I’m away 250 to 260 nights a year. You can see why I’m bald now. It’s the stress.” In the last two months, it’s all gone – all the stuff bout him being a bottler, all the fair comments about him being the best player never to win a major, then the best player never to win a world title. He’s at the top table now, and with his natural ability and newfound mental strength there’s every chance he’ll stay there for the next 15 years. Thanks for your company, goodnight!

I think I’m due a big title with the way I’m playing,” admitted Chisnall, who followed up his Hungarian Darts Trophy victory with ProTour success in Barnsley on Thursday. World Matchplay champion Aspinall meets a resurgent Stephen Bunting for a place in round two, while eighth seed Rob Cross has been pitted against UK Open champion Andrew Gilding. Following the conclusion of the first round, the last 16 will take place across Wednesday October 4 and Thursday October 5, before the quarter-finals are staged on Friday October 6. Of course, not everyone warms to Van Gerwen. Mervyn King, one of his middle-aged opponents, suggested that the wild celebrations were “disrespectful”. Van Gerwen, now looking like a bulldog which has swallowed that pesky old wasp, shrugs. “Maybe. But I don’t care what people think. I just need to be me. 100%. They are always looking for excuses. So I don’t worry about them. I just love the Ally Pally atmosphere. Everyone’s in a good mood because it’s Christmas and New Year. I love playing for the big crowds and, yeah, I like to celebrate when I win. I don’t see the problem.” He dispensed with one of those arch rivals last night in the shape of Peter Wright, who crumbled to a 4-0 defeat, while the other - Gerwyn Price - was punished for every mistake in his semi-final by Aspinall.

Price, the new world number one, missed five doubles in the 21st leg and the Premier League of Darts champion Van Gerwen capitalised to break throw and then levelled the match for the first time at 12-12.

Aspinall won't give up the ghost and holds his nerve on tops - with MVG also waiting on 40 - to hold his throw with a steady 16 darter. He really needs to win this set. It is hard enough to win a ProTour, never mind a TV tournament, but I believe it is going to come one day, and hopefully it comes this week. After a year in which he became world champion and got married, in August, Van Gerwen deserves a break to reflect on his unlikely life. “It’s strange,” he admits. “Until I was 12 I played football. I was supposed to be a defender. But I really was a little Michelin Man walking around the field. It was horrible – especially when it was cold. I’m more a summer person.” I just turn up and play darts now, and I giggle when I win," quipped Anderson, a runner-up to Van Gerwen in the 2016 edition.

Rob Cross also joined the list of high-profile casualties as he went down 10-7 to German number one Gabriel Clemens. The real key to all this has been his doubling at both ends of the leg - but particularly at the start. His double-in percentage of 46% is far superior to Nathan Aspinall's 38.24% and if there's a big discrepancy on that metric tonight then it could well be one-way traffic. South Africa's Devon Petersen, Australia's Damon Heta, World Grand Prix runner-up Dirk van Duijvenbode, Ross Smith and two-time world youth champion Luke Humphries are also in line for their first taste of the iconic Winter Gardens when play gets going - with all the action live on Sky Sports. I wouldn't be here if I wasn't feeling 100 per cent," said Van Gerwen. "If I thought I couldn't really compete at 100 per cent, there's no point being here."

Dartboard with a difference

I think it’s going to be wide open this year. You can’t really say an outsider [will win it], but I don’t think it will be one of the favourites. Maybe it could be an old 52-year-old, you never know!” I remember that first time against Phil in 2008. I had a chance to beat him but before you can know how to win the worlds you have to learn how to lose it.”

Aspinall keeps the match alive with a comfortable hold of throw in 17 darts but he'll need to break the MVG throw in the next or it's game over. Mighty Mike flashes a gruesome summery smile. “We had a dart board at home and sometimes I’d throw three darts at it but nothing more. When I was 13 it was winter and we needed to do something inside. So we started a darts round robin. There were three of us. One of the guys was really bad but us other two had a real rivalry.” This really is a frightening standard from van Gerwen as scores of 120, 97, 140, 128 leave him 16, which he takes out at the first attempt for a 13 darter. He's averaging just a shade under 100 right now. Players ranked in the world's top 32 join the competition at this point, along with the 32 who have come through the previous three rounds. The first half of the match was an exhilarating ding-dong, the second a largely one-sided exhibition. Van Gerwen was below his best, with his average dropping just below 100 for the first time in the tournament, but the main reason for that was the relentless pressure he was under because of Smith’s scoring.On New Year’s Day 2014, in the final against Peter Wright, the Scot who favours a colourful Mohican and paints a snake on the side of his shaven head, Van Gerwen “was a huge favourite”. The standard of darts from both players is extremely high right now and a wonderful visit of 171 from MVG leaves him 32, which he takes out for a classy 14-darter. All United Kingdom deliveries will be sent using Royal Mail with the exception of heavy items such as dartboards, these will be shipped using a reputable delivery service such as DPD or DHL. It should be a fantastic game against Josh. He is a phenomenal player,” claimed Van Gerwen, a winner of the World Grand Prix in 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2022. Depending on where you live, the time it may take for your exchanged product to reach you, may vary.