Michael van Gerwen has declared himself ready for battle at the World Darts Championship, insisting he is "a winner, not a loser" as he aims to overcome a year of profound personal struggle and reclaim his spot at the sport's summit.
A Champion Forged in Adversity
The Dutch superstar, a three-time world champion and former world number one, has endured a major dip in form, which he openly links to his separation from his wife, Daphne, after more than a decade of marriage. The couple, who share two children, Mike and Zoe, parted ways earlier this year, leading van Gerwen to take time away from the oche to adapt to his new life.
"I'm feeling alright," van Gerwen told Daily Mail Sport in an exclusive interview. "We know the draw, we know the day we are going to play, and we can prepare. I am looking forward to it." He acknowledged the challenge, stating, "It is of course different this year. I have had a tough year and I have to adjust myself. But that is part of how life sometimes goes."
Van Gerwen, who boasts an incredible 67 televised titles, has not lifted the Sid Waddell trophy since 2019. His absence from recent majors, including the Players Championship finals—which he missed after failing to qualify—has been notable. When asked about that tournament, won by teenage sensation Luke Littler, van Gerwen admitted, "I didn't watch it, so I don't know."
The Luke and Luke Show vs The Green Machine
All eyes at Alexandra Palace are on the two Lukes: defending champion Luke Littler and world number one Luke Humphries. Littler, 18, began his title defence with a comfortable win over Darius Labanauskas, while 2024 champion Humphries started with a victory against Ted Evetts. Most fans are anticipating a final between the sport's two new dominant forces.
Yet van Gerwen, currently ranked world number three, is determined to disrupt that narrative. He kicks off his campaign on Thursday, December 18, against Japan's Mitsuhiko Tatsunami, seven days after the tournament's opening session.
Despite being arguably knocked off his perch by Littler and Humphries in the last two years, the Dutchman insists there is no ill will. "I'm not jealous of anyone," van Gerwen said, shaking his head. "I have been there, I have done it. For me, it is more important what you want to do. You have to face it, you have to battle hard. I still love what I do, and that is still the most important thing, I think."
The Lonely Road Back to Glory
Van Gerwen emphasised the solitary nature of the challenge ahead. Darts, he notes, is a solo and sometimes lonely game where only the individual on stage can make the difference. His focus is squarely on rediscovering the form that made him the most feared player in the world.
"I know exactly where I am standing, I know there is still more in the tank but I have to show it on a more regular basis," he confessed. His goal for the tournament is unequivocal: "My aim is of course to win it. It always is, it always has to be. I'm a winner, I'm not a loser."
As the harsh reality of top-level sport dictates, the World Championship waits for no one. For Michael van Gerwen, it is now a case of do or die. With personal battles fought off the stage, the Green Machine is now fully focused on engineering one of the great sporting comebacks on it.
