Mark Webster
Darts Expert & Columnist
Mark Webster and Abigail Davies join Emma Paton in the studio to discuss Michael van Gerwen’s phenomenal World Matchplay performance Download and subscribe to the Love The Darts podcast from wherever you get your podcasts for all the latest news, interviews and reaction
Last Updated: 28/07/22 5:48pm
Michael van Gerwen warned his rivals they should be scared of what is to come as he produced his best display in years to win the World Matchplay
Mark Webster said “no one” backed Michael van Gerwen to win the World Matchplay, while Abigail Davies said the Dutchman serenaded her with Queen’s classic ‘I want to break free’ during one post-match interview.
Speaking on the latest Love The Darts Podcast, the Welsh pundits could not help but applaud the Dutchman after he produced his best display in years to win the World Matchplay at the Winter Gardens last weekend.
Van Gerwen, who has recently had wrist surgery, has had a dip in form over recent years since winning a third World Championship crown in 2019, but followed up his Premier League title win with his third crown in Blackpool after an unforgettable 18-14 victory over Gerwyn Price.
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Mark Webster was surprised at the level that Van Gerwen reached in the World Matchplay final but believes it’s one of his biggest ever wins
“There was so much that happened but Michael van Gerwen winning, not just winning the event but the manner in which he did it. Who backed him? No one! When do you not back Michael van Gerwen?” said Webster.
“To find a performance like that and an average when you’ve missed stacks and stacks of darts at doubles, I thought was incredible.
“And the emotion! I liked everything about it – just what it means to him. He’s won so many events, it would be easy for him to say ‘it’s just another one’ like he does, but it meant so much to him. It was special to see.”
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Best moment? Funniest moment? Best checkout? Mark Webster and Abigail Davies hand out their World Matchplay Awards on Love The Darts
Davies said: “There was something special about Van Gerwen all week. He even sang to me during a post-match interview. He sang ‘I want to break free’ and so did I after hearing him sing but it was one of those the entire week from Michael van Gerwen. It was just so good to see him back to his best on a consistent basis.”
New world No 1 Price achieved perfection in his 17-11 semi-final victory against Danny Noppert, registering the first nine-darter at this event since Gary Anderson’s 2018 exploits and Davies felt that moment usurped Van Gerwen’s victory.
“That’s Price’s fourth one on TV in 2022 and he almost followed it with another one in the next leg. It was fourteen perfect darts. That for me was the most significant moment and it was phenomenal to see it in front of a crowd that was fully behind him,” said Davies.
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Van Gerwen says the good times are coming back after winning his third World Matchplay title
Van Gerwen won the title with an average of 101, five 100-plus finishes and 15 180s – a performance that will have the rest of the PDC Tour worried.
“It’s the best I’ve played for a while,” admitted Van Gerwen during his post-match interview. “I don’t want to be rude but I’m in quite a dominant period at the moment.
“To win the Premier League and now the Matchplay gives me a great feeling. Of course I wasn’t favourite for this tournament, but to produce something like this means the world to me.”
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Watch the top checkouts from the World Matchplay final in Blackpool
The three-time World Champion added: “If you are going to look at performances this year, no one produces better darts than me. I’ve won two majors, the biggest majors this year. What more do you want?
“I have done well, but I know there is more in the tank and that I can do better. I know that.
“I think they are fearful anyway. You know that. If you are going to look at how I played with the flair, I only think there is only room for improvement. I don’t want to say too much but sometimes I like myself.
“After the World Championships and my first Premier League title, this is next. People at home don’t know how much this means to me.
“I have been going through a rough period, I constantly have to fight back, I have to battle against everyone. To win it against a player like Gerwyn is special.”
Check out daily Darts news on skysports.com/darts, our app for mobile devices and our Twitter account @skysportsdarts. The 25th staging of the World Grand Prix ‘Double in, Double out’ set format is coming to Sky Sports from October 2-8 in Leicester.