VAN GERWEN VOWS TO MAKE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS

MICHAEL VAN GERWEN has vowed he is not giving up on qualifying for the Players Championship Finals despite facing an uphill battle to feature at the major. 

Three-times world champ Van Gerwen produced one of his best home displays in years as he edged past Wessel Nijman in his opener at the World Series Finals. 

‘Mighty Mike’ averaged a stellar 104.75 and smashed in five 180s to fight back from 3-1 down and defeat his Dutch compatriot 6-5 in Amsterdam.

Van Gerwen has struggled for form on the ProTour this year and skipped several events but insists he still can make Minehead in November. 

He said: “Yeah, why not? I think there’s seven or nine left. 

“Yeah, I’ll play a minimum of five. So if I can’t reach it in the next five, I’m useless anyway. Simple as that.” 

World No. 3 Van Gerwen believes his superior experience at the oche helped him get over the line against Nijman. 

He added: “Yeah, of course I was delighted.  

“I think his cover shots were absolutely great. Every time, first dart low, then two trebles afterwards.  

“But I think he was also thinking a little bit too much himself, you know what I mean?  

“He was slowing down a little bit, and then you can see he’s not experienced enough to just do it his own way.  

“I think he’s an absolutely great player, but another win is always nice.” 

Despite the early scare, MVG admits he never doubted himself. 

He revealed: “No, because if you think that, you can’t perform like I did afterwards. Of course, in patches I played really well, and in patches I was maybe trying too hard.  

“But I felt great the whole game, and I think that’s what you want. That’s what you want to show, that’s what you want to give the crowd.

“I think this was one of my best performances in Holland for a long time, and that gives me a lot of joy. 

“All the other Dutch guys don’t even know what pressure is, you know what I mean? 

“They’ve never been there, they’ve not done it. They all think they might be superstars, but they’ve never done it.” 

Van Gerwen says he’s on the right track as he rebuilds his game in a bid to return to his former glory days. 

He explained: “I need to do it more on a regular basis and that costs a lot of energy, and that takes some doing. But I feel good, and that’s the only thing that matters.  

“If I feel well, the best men in the world, they’re not going to beat me.  

“But I still have to do it, and when they’re in good form — which he is, because he’s doing well on the Euro Tour and everything — you have to battle hard, you have to dig deep.”