Michael van Gerwen sailed into the World Darts Championship last 16 with a victory against Brendan Dolan, but he wasn’t overly enamoured with his game.
Mighty Mike defeated Brendan Dolan 4-2 in his second match in the tournament after coming through his match with James Hurrell without dropping a set.
Michael van Gerwen hit an average of 97+ in his victory over Dolan, but he wasn’t overly pleased with his display and believes he’s got more to give on the Ally Pally stage.
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Michael van Gerwen calls for more polish in his game
Despite setting up a last-16 tie with Jeffrey De Graaf, Mighty Mike believes he can only get better as he advances through the tournament.
Speaking on stage after his victory over Dolan, van Gerwen said: “I wasn’t steady enough. It could have been better in a lot of areas.
“Especially set five… I don’t know what I was doing there, but that’s just not allowed.”
The Dutchman revealed he doesn’t feel as prepared as he should for the biggest tournament in darts, but he still feels like he can challenge for the trophy.
He said: “My preparation didn’t go as well as I wanted. Then, I left a lot of things out. Can you imagine if I do throw a 100 percent good match? I know it’s in there.
“I have to show it. At phases, I played a good match, but here and there, it can still be polished.”
Van Gerwen plays De Graaf in the evening session on December 30.
Michael van Gerwen’s easier route to the final
With seeded players succumbing earlier on in the tournament than usual, van Gerwen has found his side of the draw open up.
The likes of Jonny Clayton and Dimitri van Den Bergh followed Gary Anderson out of the tournament before the latter stages.
Should van Gerwen come through his clash with De Graaf, he’ll face Callan Rydz in the quarterfinals after the Geordie overcame Robert Owen in the last 16.