Michael van Gerwen rose from 2-2 to deny Jeffrey de Graaf and draw in the quarter-finals with Callan Rydz in 2025. PDC World Darts Championships on New Year’s Day and it’s a very confident Green Machine.
He also touched on Peter Wright calling Callan Rydz the tournament favorite, dismissing his comments as nonsense and claiming no one takes him seriously in scathing criticism from the three-time world champion.
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“When I had to, I was able to find extra equipment and that was really important. If you just look at the average and the way I played, there are many possibilities and I would keep playing every time, but there is still a lot of hard work to be done to be in this tournament,” Van Gerwen said.
“I think I controlled the match for most of the match, otherwise you can’t create sets like five, you know what I mean. I was able to create something extra when I had to, and that’s the most important thing.”
However, despite a good performance, he will not overtake Callan Rydz in the next round. “Don’t underestimate Callan Rydz. He has the highest tournament average so far, so he can’t be taken lightly, but it’s something to worry about in two days. I feel good, I feel comfortable and I think everything is possible in this position.”
He didn’t go as far as Wright in calling him a favorite, however, as he delivered a scathing verdict on his comments. “He talks so much nonsense every year at World’s. He’s always allowed to talk nonsense. No one takes him seriously on the road either because he is not allowed to express his opinion at home either.”
However, when asked about upshifting, he said he was happy with his level and although there was more in the tank, he managed to average above 100. “When you get to an average of 102, if it’s not a good level, I have to look in the mirror. I think it takes some work to get to 102 points in this format (looks at the floor). There’s still a lot ahead of us.
When asked about 2024, he responded sarcastically before talking about what drives him. “Four titles take some work, huh,” he said sarcastically. “I love what I do, darts is my way of life, darts is my passion. This is the most important thing in my lie after family. “I think there’s a lot more in the tank.”
