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MICHAEL VAN GERWEN has issued a clear warning to his rivals as he readies himself for a return to Ally Pally this Friday.
He will face James Hurrell in his opening match at the World Darts Championship tomorrow, competing in the tournament without the favored title for the first time in several years.
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Although he is not expected to win the Sid Waddell trophy this year, Van Gerwen remains hopeful about his chances, suggesting he is comfortable being underestimated.
In an interview with De Telegraaf, he stated: “This hasn’t been my best year, but there’s still time ahead. I haven’t lost my skills, that’s for sure. But it’s not accurate to say ‘everything will be fine’ at this moment.
“The situation is too unstable right now, and I need to do everything I can to stabilize it. That doesn’t guarantee immediate results, but things can turn around quickly.
“Just last September, I won the Euro Tour in Budapest unexpectedly. The problem is, even after a victory, circumstances can shift very rapidly again.”
Van Gerwen hasn’t won a televised PDC title this year, yet he believes that his current form might serve him well if others perceive him as a non-threat.
He confidently expressed: “Let them all underestimate me; soon someone will be caught off-guard.
“They’ll think, ‘Oh, he can do that too.’ I’m looking forward to that moment. While everyone is talking about [Luke] Humphries and [Luke] Littler—and rightly so, given their victories in the major tournaments this year—I feel that despite my less-than-ideal performance, I’ve still matched Littler’s wins against me.”
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“When people ask if I can win the world championship, I say ‘yes,’ but I stress that everything needs to align perfectly.
“You can’t always control that aspect, but it all starts with having faith in yourself.”
Luke Littler jokes ‘I could just slouch about for six years’ as he targets Michael van Gerwen record
“When people say I might lose to anyone right now, they neglect one important detail: I can still win against anyone as well.”
Luke Littler and Luke Humphries are entering the Worlds as the top two contenders after impressive performances throughout the year.
Nevertheless, Van Gerwen has beaten Littler six out of their twelve meetings this year, and he narrowly edged out Humphries 10-9 in their last encounter in September, which boosts his confidence in facing either champion on any given day.
As a three-time World Champion, MVG, despite a challenging year, will still be a formidable contender at the Palace.
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