Michael van Gerwen is determined to reclaim his place among the world's elite, even as he endures a difficult season that has seen him slip to ninth in the world rankings. The three-time world champion, now 37, has not lost faith in his own ability and has warned his rivals — including Luke Littler — that he remains capable of great things. Speaking to Sportnieuws.nl, the Dutchman admitted his performances are currently below par but insisted he is far from finished.
Van Gerwen accepts that he has to take responsibility for his slide. "If you look purely at form, I'm not one of the best players in the world right now," he admitted. "As a top player, you have to perform consistently, and I'm not doing that at the moment. Everyone understands why I'm slipping in the rankings. Still, I feel I should be above many of the players currently ahead of me. It's up to me to show that I still belong there." At the time of writing, Van Gerwen is No. 10 in the PDC Order of Merit.
Painful defeats have kept piling up. At the World Series of Darts Finals, he let a lead against Daryl Gurney slip away, while Ryan Joyce knocked him out of the World Grand Prix. "I often let myself down," Van Gerwen said. "Partly, that's down to my own shortcomings, but sometimes the opponent gets a bit of luck too. I've had to take a few blows. These defeats hurt, of course, but fortunately I can take a lot. I want to turn things around as soon as possible. It doesn't always happen, though." The disappointing results have also come during a period in which Van Gerwen has faced difficulties away from the oche. His marriage to Daphne ended, and his father was diagnosed with cancer. The darts star has now received cautiously positive news about his father's health. "Fortunately, he's doing better. Let's hope it stays that way." Balancing his professional career with his private life and caring for his children, Zoë and Mike, has also demanded a great deal of attention lately, though Van Gerwen now seems to be gradually finding more balance.
Meanwhile, the former world No. 1 is working on his technique, refining his throw with Vincent van der Voort, who has advised him for many years. "It's all about fluidity. We want to make my throw a little smoother. Sometimes there's a slight hitch in it, and I'm trying to iron that out. Everything takes time, but I can feel my level rising again." The pressure to produce results is mounting, and Van Gerwen knows his performances are being closely watched. "When you're a player of my calibre, you're always on the chopping block. I know that."
With the World Darts Championship in December approaching, Van Gerwen will soon have another chance to prove himself on the sport's biggest stage. The Dutchman became world champion in 2014, 2017 and 2019, but has now been waiting more than seven years for a fourth world title. He understands that he is not among the leading contenders this year, yet refuses to rule himself out in advance — and a potential clash with Luke Littler does not intimidate him. "The World Championship is the most important tournament for every darts player. I know full well that I'm not the favourite right now. But if I set my sights on something and things start to click, someone will have to play very well to beat me. That could be Luke Littler at his best, too. It doesn't bother me. Darts can turn on a knife-edge. Sometimes things can change quickly. But I have to put in a lot of work myself: train hard and build my confidence. Then we'll see what happens."
For Van Gerwen, rediscovering his enjoyment of the sport is important. He still wants to add to his impressive list of honours and sees a fourth world title as a goal he must continue to pursue. "I also think I have to do it. If I can't achieve that any more, I'd be disappointed. I have to believe in myself." Although results have so far fallen short of his expectations, Van Gerwen is far from convinced that his best years are behind him. The coming months will show whether his technical adjustments and renewed enjoyment are enough to help him close the gap to the world's elite.
