Kieran Cleeves/PDCLuke Humphries and Michael van Gerwen
NOS Sport•vandaag, 00:44
“If you look purely at prestige, this is the biggest darts tournament to win after the World Cup,” said Michael van Gerwen. He will try to win the tournament for the eighth time on the final evening of the Premier League tonight.
The final of the tournament will be held in the impressive O2 Arena in London and Van Gerwen jokes at a press conference on Wednesday a day before the final and looks relaxed.
For example, he interrupts a conversation with a witty remark when someone in the room makes a lot of noise and he says that one of the English journalists, in appearance, is starting to look more and more like Luke Humphries.
That just happens to be Van Gerwen’s opponent in the semi-finals. Humphries is the world champion, the current number one in the world rankings and Van Gerwen’s fearmonger. Humphries has won the last six meetings with the darts player from Vlijmen.
Teasing spirit
“You play against each other very often in a short period of time and if you are in a lesser phase and the other has the momentum of his life, then you will be embarrassed a few times, I know that too,” Van Gerwen answers when he statistics are thrown on the table.
Humphries has been a constant tease for Van Gerwen lately. “I do think I am his great rival,” says the Brit with a broad smile. “But we also have a lot of respect for each other.”
Van Gerwen and Humphries are preparing for a Premier League clash
Humphries has words of praise for Van Gerwen. “People sometimes underestimate him. They forget what records he has broken in recent years. Van Gerwen has occasionally ups-and-downs during matches, but with all his experience I am sure we will see a completely different Van Gerwen.”
Gray mouse
Humphries is a major player, but relatively speaking, the British world champion receives little media attention. ‘Cool Hand Luke’, as his nickname is, stands in the shadow of 17-year-old Luke Littler, who has been the new poster boy of the PDC since the last World Cup, and Van Gerwen, who always has his say.
“He is just a bit more of a gray mouse,” Van Gerwen explains. “Oleksandr Usyk (Ukrainian boxer who defeated Tyson Fury last weekend, ed.) also does not sell tickets, but is the great world boxing champion.”
Humphries himself shrugs it off. “It really doesn’t matter to me that some players get more attention. Various media have the impression that we as darts players are concerned about that, but the sport needs attention. That can only be a good thing.”
Kelly Deckers/PDCLuke Humphries
Three-time world champion Van Gerwen has been struggling with his form for some time. During this Premier League campaign, out of sixteen match nights, he was defeated eight times in the first round.
New arrows
“It can indeed be better,” acknowledges the 35-year-old ‘MvG’. ‘But I think I have played well with new arrows in recent weeks. Those new darts are a lot different.”
“They are one and a half grams heavier and a bit more stable and I have already won the UK Open with them. Then I put them aside, I don’t actually know why. I recently picked them up again and it felt familiar.”
Van Gerwen is looking for a change of darts just before a prestigious tournament? “No, not at all. In certain situations you have to make changes. I think in the end it almost never has to do with the arrow, but every now and then it can help to try something.”
Van Gerwen admits that he has pioneered more often in the past period. “Over the past few months, I have been changing arrows every two to three months. But people wouldn’t say that, because I have our technician make them so that they look like they are old. They just sand them by hand for hours. That’s what is really true,” he concludes with a grin from ear to ear.
2024-05-22 22:44:34
#arrows #Van #Gerwen #attacks #rival #gray #mouse #Humphries
