VAN GERWEN FACING FUTURE FEARS AS RANKINGS DROP LOOMS

MICHAEL VAN GERWEN’S future at the oche has been questioned as he risks a major slide down the rankings.

‘Mighty Mike’ has failed to reach the quarter-finals of the first three major events of the year for the first time since 2012. 

World No.4 Van Gerwen was most recently dumped out in the sixth round of the UK Open after suffering a heavy 10–3 defeat to James Wade.

Pundit and commentator Elmar Paulke has questioned what the Dutchman’s next move could be if he fails to defend his prize money on the big stage. 

She told the Game On Podcast: “What does van Gerwen bring in 2026? The topic this year is: How far does he drop?

“What does van Gerwen do if he’s number 24 in the world? I can hardly imagine him bouncing around the circuit as number 24.”

Former Tour Card holder Florian Hempel believes Van Gerwen transformed darts with his aggressive style, but says that intensity now appears to have faded. 

He added: “There isn’t much of that left in the Man in Green, who doesn’t even play in green anymore – which, by the way, took some getting used to for me. 

“I’m immediately transported back to my early days in darts. In 2016 I had nothing to do with darts at all; I only picked up my first darts in 2017.  

“But what that guy did back then – how he dominated the European Tour, the Pro Tour, how he set record averages, including in the Premier League – that was Phil Taylor combined with absolute power scoring. 

“He brought a completely different vibe to the stage.  

“It didn’t just get on Phil Taylor’s nerves. We also remember the skirmishes with Mervyn King, who had no idea what van Gerwen was doing and how he was letting it all out. 

“Gerwyn Price was heavily criticized for it at times – even though van Gerwen had been doing it long before him. He just never really got the same backlash. 

“That was the start of a new era. Today we see even more young guns, even more emotion, even more interaction with the fans. We really owe van Gerwen a great deal.” 

Hempel suggested Van Gerwen’s dominance on the big stage has declined due to a loss of hunger, combined with personal challenges following his divorce and his father’s illness. 

He continued: “He worked at darts. He was truly a darts grafter who spent every free second throwing arrows at the board.

“On the one hand, there are private issues, and on the other, health topics.  

“And of course there’s also this: if you’re successful for a long time and earn a lot of money, you get a bit spoilt. 

“I wouldn’t say complacent – but you live more calmly. Those last three percent of hunger for the next title or the next prize money just fade.”

Image by Taylor Lanning.