Three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen has been surprisingly eliminated from the World Darts Championship in London. Englishman Scott Williams was too strong for Mighty Mike in the quarter-finals of the World Cup on Monday evening. The darts player from Vlijmen lost 5-3 to Williams, number 52 in the world, in Alexandra Palace.
Van Gerwen reached the last eight of the World Cup with a great display of power on Friday by beating the Englishman Stephen Bunting 4-0. And he also impressed in his previous two matches at the World Cup.
However, against Williams, Van Gerwen played far below his potential. He started the match with a series of misses on the doubles and gave the first set to his opponent. He then recovered somewhat and took a 2-1 lead, but then the Vlijmen native collapsed and was defeated on all fronts by Williams.
Van Gerwen won the World Cup in 2014, 2017 and 2019. He will have to wait at least another year for a fourth title after this defeat.