What's behind the darts superstar's sensational exit

Michael van Gerwen simply can't become world champion anymore. Five years after his last triumph, the darts superstar is sensationally eliminated in the quarter-finals this time. What was "MvG's" downfall against outsider Scott Williams?

His opponent in the quarter-finals will be a "New Year's dessert" for Michael van Gerwen, the Dutch darts superstar said after his convincing last 16 win over Stephen Bunting. In the match against the English outsider Scott Williams, there was no sign of the pompous tones. Van Gerwen played indisposed, powerless and above all inaccurate when throwing on the doubles. The three-time world champion choked on his opponent.

MvG" blundered in the very first leg and Williams thanked him by winning the first leg. Because the Dutchman missed a total of seven darts at doubles in the early stages, van Gerwen lost the first set 0:3 in front of 3,000 spectators in London's sold-out Alexandra Palace. He had not dropped a single set in his first three matches of the tournament.

As a reaction to the horror start Michael van Gerwen played a much better second set and after several misses on the doubles he also won the third set. It was to remain the only lead for "MvG" in the whole match. Williams took the next two sets to nil and was suddenly 3:2 ahead. For Michael van Gerwen, it was no longer a question of how he would stay in the tournament, but whether he would even be able to continue his mission of winning World Championship title number four.

Williams' impressive ease

Although "MvG" snatched the sixth leg, the equalizer did not bring the 34-year-old back on course. Instead, it was Williams who dictated the game, was able to afford himself a number of double faults in the meantime and still managed to take the match for good. Round seven went 3:1 to "Shaggy", as the 33-year-old Englishman is known. With another 3:1 in the legs, Williams also secured the eighth set and thus a sensational 5:3 victory over the world number two.

The Englishman, who started the tournament as number 52, was as relaxed with the crowd as he had been in previous matches. In the set breaks, Williams returned to the stage after just a few seconds, threw a few darts and celebrated to the sounds of "Angels" by his namesake Robbie Williams.

The match dart also matched the relaxed style of play. Williams hit double 16 on his very first attempt, as if nervousness was a foreign word. Even better: unlike after his third-round match, the Englishman did not choose an inappropriate world war comparison in the post-match interview this time.

No interview after defeat

Michael van Gerwen, meanwhile, "disappeared from the World Championship like a thief in the night", commented Dutch TV station "NOS" on the 2014, 2017 and 2019 World Champion's exit. The exceptional player of past years did not want to give any interviews, instead getting into a cab and heading to the players' hotel in the city centre. "Unbelievable. That's not the way I wanted to start 2024", "MvG" at least released a statement via X. "I didn't play my best game today and this defeat hits me hard. Thanks for the support during the World Championship."

Michael van Gerwen's defeat sent shockwaves, and not just across the stands and beer benches in the "Ally Pally". Something must have happened in the three days since his convincing 4:0 win over Stephen Bunting, otherwise there is no other explanation for such an emotionless and listless performance, suspected not only experts and journalists behind the scenes.

Stomach problems spoil "MvG's" dessert

Williams himself already had the feeling that van Gerwen wasn't feeling well during the warm-up in the catacombs. "He was often, really often, two or three millimeters below the triples with his darts."

Dutch media reported shortly afterwards, citing Michael van Gerwen's management, that the second most successful darts player after Phil Taylor was suffering from stomach problems. "The ailing van Gerwen felt like he was going to throw up," reported "NOS".

MvG" had imagined his New Year's dessert to be very different. The title will now be decided between four Englishmen: 2018 World Champion Rob Cross will meet 16-year-old teenage sensation Luke Littler in the first semi-final tonight after the biggest comeback in World Championship history. Scott Williams will then take on Luke Humphries, who will become the new number one in the world rankings if he reaches the final.