Michael van Gerwen is in the eighth finals of the World Darts Championship. The three-time world champion played inconsistently in London’s Alexandra Palace, but he was too strong for Brendan Dolan from Northern Ireland.
The start was difficult. Van Gerwen lost the first set, but he recovered in the second set, which he defeated with a score of 129 points. After that, he was superior to his 51-year-old opponent for a long time, although he still ran into problems in the final phase.
Van Gerwen will meet the Filipino Paolo Nebrida or Jeffrey de Graaf, the Dutchman who lives in Sweden and also plays for that country, in the eighth finals on Monday.
In search of form
The 35-year-old Van Gerwen is looking for his best form after a disappointing year. He did not win a single major tournament in 2024. He suffered from persistent dental problems and had to undergo further surgery. Van Gerwen was eliminated in the group stage of the Grand Slam of Darts in November and also suffered a painful defeat in the first round of the Players Championship Finals.
But with a fourth world title he can still make his season a great success. As number 3 in the world, he did not have to participate in the first round. Van Gerwen then did not grant the Englishman James Hurrell a single set in the second round.
With possible opponents such as Nebrida and De Graaf, Van Gerwen could have had a tougher time in the eighth finals. Gary Anderson, his expected opponent for the round of 16, has already been eliminated. ‘Mighty Mike’ can only meet Luke Humphries and Luke Littler, the big favorites for the world title, in the final.
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