"Am I scared of him? Not a chance!" - Michael van Gerwen on Luke Littler's 'fear factor'

96 players will compete for the world title at the World Darts Championship starting December 15. Of this field of competitors, Michael van Gerwen has the most previous world titles to his name, but the 35-year-old Dutchman has been waiting for a fourth victory at Alexandra Palace since 2019.

Van Gerwen did not win any major titles this year and for the first time in a long time, is not seen as one of the top favourites for the world title. That role this year belongs to Luke Littler and Luke Humphries. The former especially has been hyped heading to Ally Pally this year, but Van Gerwen insists the 17-year-old Englishman does not hold a fear factor over him.

“I’m not playing my best and he’s still not beat me more than I’ve beaten him. Am I scared of him? Not a chance!" Van Gerwen said at the draw for the Worlds, in quotes collected by The Sun. “I think it’s a total combination. He’s a good player, of course he is. He has the media attention and everything goes his way at the moment, he’s in a flow."

“Luke Littler is not unbeatable," the mighty Dutchman continues. "He lost first round in the World Matchplay to me, he lost in the first round in the Grand Prix. Then he is winning a tournament again, then [Luke] Humphries won. You have Mike De Decker winning a tournament and Richie Edhouse the European Championship. No one is unbeatable. Of course his standard I think is great for the game. He’s got the capability of doing it for a long time.”

That's not to say Van Gerwen doesn't give the likes of Littler and Humphries their due credit though. "I think they [Humphries and Littler] deserve the credit. For me I’m not really worrying about what they do," he explains. “I have to deal with my own situation. I have to focus myself on my own game and we are going to see what will happen at the World Championship. It is a different tournament. I’ve never played bad there so that’s a good thing."

Is Van Gerwen ready to take a shot at a fourth world title? “I’m more relaxed now and my darts have to do the talking. The only thing I can reply with that: work hard, practice hard and make sure I get mentally ready for the World Championship.”