MARDLE RAISES CONCERN OVER VAN GERWEN FORM
22/07/2025 By Aaron Nijjar
MICHAEL VAN GERWEN looked like he “forgot how to throw” and “didn’t know how to grip” his darts during an edgy World Matchplay win, according to Wayne Mardle.
World No. 3 Van Gerwen ground out a 10-6 victory over Raymond van Barneveld in the first round at the Winter Gardens.
‘Mighty Mike’ averaged just 91.84 and hit just 10 out of 32 doubles on the way to beating his Dutch rival.
Former World Championship semi-finalist Mardle reckons MVG was visibly rattled and “lost all composure” mid-match.
He said: “He will take that he won and in certain legs he played well.
“But it was erratic, nervy and edgy. It was everything I thought it was going to be.
“Michael got the job done.
“Michael looked so edgy at times. He threw three darts at double eight in that game and I’ve never seen such a loss of composure from him.
“It looked like he didn’t know how to grip them — and at one point it looked like he forgot how to throw completely.
“Straight after that visit he hit 13. I’m not emphasising the score, I’m emphasising what he hit.
“It was low five, low five and three. They were absolutely everywhere.
“For 40 seconds he had gone — and I don’t like it. We are used to seeing him as a champion.”
47-times major winner Van Gerwen has not won a ranked televised event since 2022 at the Players Championship Finals.
Mardle believes Van Gerwen, now 36, may be past his peak — and tipped Josh Rock to start as favourite in their second-round clash in Blackpool.
He added: “Going forward Josh Rock will start as favourite against Michael van Gerwen.
“This is how times change. Someone gets worse, someone gets better. The new guard moves in and someone else moves out.
“At the age of 36, Michael van Gerwen will feel like he has played his best darts. He’s been doing it for 20 years.”
Image by Taylor Lanning.
