Michael van Gerwen was left "absolutely devastated" after his early exit at the Dutch Darts Championship in Maastricht last weekend, according to close friend Vincent van der Voort. The three-time world champion was knocked out after just one match, losing 6-5 to Ireland's William O'Connor in the second round.
Van der Voort, speaking on the Darts Draait Door podcast, revealed he spoke to Van Gerwen after the defeat. "It was so frustrating for him. He was absolutely devastated. That's understandable, and it should be that way," he said. The former professional decided not to call his friend straight after the match, giving him time to cool off first. "I let him cool off for a bit, then we spoke on the phone. The one thing he must avoid now is feeling sorry for himself. He just has to take this one on the chin and keep training. Otherwise, he won't turn things around. The problem is, he doesn't have a chin left. It's as if he's been in a fight with Rico Verhoeven," Van der Voort added, referencing the kickboxing icon.
Despite the loss, Van der Voort was not unhappy with Van Gerwen's performance. In his view, the Dutchman did not play badly at all but faced an opponent who was particularly strong when it mattered. O'Connor trailed 5-4 before producing two consecutive 12-dart legs to claim the win. "Credit to him, that was really impressive," Van der Voort said.
The defeat came shortly after Van Gerwen gave a candid interview with Sportnieuws.nl, discussing his private life and the problems he has faced in recent months, including his separation from his former wife, Daphne. Van der Voort was surprised by some of his comments. "He said some things I never expected him to say. For example, that he knew he and his ex-wife Daphne wouldn't grow old together. I'd never heard him say that before." He added that Van Gerwen usually reveals little emotion behind his confident image. "He always wears that shield, giving everyone a mouthful wherever he goes. This time, he also showed a more vulnerable side. He's quite an emotional person, but he never lets it show."
Van der Voort revealed he had urged Van Gerwen to open up in the past. "We've talked about it before because he felt I didn't understand him and was too tough and critical. He felt he was dealing with more than he let on. I told him he should give an interview like that one day, so other people could understand him better too. That was the aim, and hopefully it came across well."
