Michael van Gerwen beat Luke Littler 10-6 in the first round of the 2024 World Matchplay. He went into this tournament being considered by many as the ‘underdog’ in this first round tie.
When number 2 seed Michael van Gerwen was drawn against an unseeded Luke Littler in the first round of the 2024 World Matchplay, many considered this to be the best first round draw in recent history.
Luke Littler has burst onto the darts scene finishing runner-up at the 2024 World Championship and going on to win the Premier League, both in his debut season at just 17 years of age.
The form he has displayed is that of a top player and possible favourite for any tournament he enters.
As he has only been on the Pro Tour for seven months though, his Order of Merit ranking will see him enter some tournaments unseeded, like what has happened at the World Matchplay.
This therefore had the potential for a heavyweight first round matchup with some top seeded players, and that is exactly what has happened when he was drawn against Michael van Gerwen.
In contrast, MVG has had an out of form season compared to his usual standards and for the first time in a very long time.
The media and fans even had him coming into this match against Littler as an underdog.
The combination of poor form, Luke Littlers rise, and MVG’s legacy has meant there was a lot of pressure on MVG’s shoulders going into this game.
See more: Chris Murphy believes Michael van Gerwen has more to lose in Luke Littler draw
Fortunately for MVG, he came out on Monday evening and put in a strong performance.
A 10-6 win with a 101.93 average was more than enough to prove a convincing win.
Following the game, MVG had some strong comments regarding questions about his ability and he also called out other players that are ‘scared’ to face Luke Littler…
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Michael van Gerwen Says Luke Littler Is NOT Unstoppable
When speaking at his post game interview, Michael van Gerwen took the opportunity to address his recent form but to also send a reminder of his ability.
This comes after the media and fans have questioned whether or not MVG is still a dominant threat or if we are starting to witness his decline.
When asked by Online Darts about his feelings coming into the tournament with questions around whether or not he could get out of the first round (opposed to winning it), Michael had this to say:
“Tonight I did the right thing for myself. My focus was there, the will to win was there, the total package was complete tonight.
“I’m not really going to listen a lot to outside information. For me it’s more important that I do the right thing for myself.
“I had to deal with this first round and of course it’s not an easy one.
“When the draw comes out you know you’ve got the most difficult draw of the tournament, simple as that. But, I did it…”
Commenting on Luke Littler specifically, MVG didn’t have anything negative to say but rather he called out other professional players.
“Of course I had an advantage on him in experience, but he had an advantage on current form.
“He’s been good, he’s been playing really well but we also could see that he’s not unstoppable.
“This is also a sign to the rest of the players that are scared of him to face him.”
It’s clear that MVG still feels he is one of the best players in the world (if not the best).
While he’s been out of form, this was a very composed interview where he acknowledged his recent form but also sent out reminders of the player that he is.
In an interview full of great quotes, our favourite was him simply saying:
“I’m on a good path, don’t worry about me. I know what I’m capable of.”
MVG says players should NOT BE SCARED of Luke Littler after beating him | "HE'S NOT UNSTOPPABLE"
— Darts Now (@DartsNow_) July 15, 2024
💚Michael van Gerwen averaged over a ton against Littler and says the teenager should not be feared
🎥FULL INT.👇🏼https://t.co/mVRXBHzbrS pic.twitter.com/aA29Ir4Hov
Michael van Gerwen will now face Joe Cullen in the second round on Wednesday evening at 20:50pm.
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