"Every time Michael van Gerwen said something negative about me, I played great afterwards" - Schindler dismisses comments made by van Gerwen

Martin Schindler has kept his chances of qualifying for the knockout phase of the Grand Slam of Darts 2025 alive. The German won 5-4 over Stephen Bunting after a nerve-wracking duel, striking only in the decisive leg.

"I obviously feel really good about that win," Schindler said visibly relieved to the press. "Stephen missed a few match darts and I could never really make a big hole. It kept going back and forth with the legs. In the end, I was lucky that he missed - and I didn't."

The victory came at a crucial time for the German, who lost disappointingly to Luke Woodhouse just a day earlier. That defeat left deep marks. "Yesterday I just wasn't really there," Schindler admitted.

"I was really hard on myself in the last 24 hours. Sometimes I'm really unfair to myself because I always want to get better. But today I wanted to improve my body language and celebrate my good moments. Sometimes you need that to get the engine going again."

With his win, Schindler still has everything in his own hands heading into the final group match against Filipino darter Alexis Toylo. Still, he remains realistic. "The fate is in my own hands now, but it was the same in previous editions," he said. "I know how it feels to miss match darts in the group stage. Alexis has already beaten Bunting, so he is dangerous. Maybe because of his name people think he is the easiest opponent, but that is not so. He plays slow and that makes him difficult. I have to be focused and play at my best."

Schindler admitted that he had not been able to watch Toylo's previous match live. "As a German, Sky Sports is hard to watch here," he laughed. "But I know he plays slowly, I've seen his matches on YouTube. So I am prepared for what awaits me."

The German was also asked about recent statements by Michael van Gerwen, who labelled compatriot Niko Springer as the best German darter ever. Schindler responded calmly but firmly. "Niko is a great player, but for me it is not a contest between him and me about who is better," he said. "I don't understand why in Germany there always has to be a number one. I only look at myself. Maybe we'll play together at the World Cup next year, maybe not. He is doing well, but still has a long way to go."

About Van Gerwen's statements themselves, Schindler had a striking comment. "Every time Michael said something negative about me in the German press, I actually played fantastic afterwards. I won Euro Tours and other tournaments. So if he wants to keep doing that, fine. I've been playing this game for eight years, am now in the top 16 in the world and have a fighter's mentality. He can't do anything against that."

Schindler stressed that he places little value on discussions about who is the best German. "In Germany you are extolled if you play well, and slapped down if you are bad," he said. "After my loss yesterday, I only saw negative comments online. Of course I didn't play great, but I averaged 92. That's the German behaviour, I guess. I'd rather focus on my world ranking, not on that discussion."

Finally, Schindler addressed the oft-repeated comment that he does not always bring his form from the floor to the big stage. According to him, this is partly due to technical conditions. "The biggest difference is the light and the board," he explained. "On the Euro Tours, the board is very brightly lit, but on the big TV stages, especially at Sky, it seems darker. You have to adjust every time. For me, everything has to be right to play really well. Yesterday that was searching, today it felt better."

He revealed that other players also experience this difference. "A few colleagues have told me that sometimes it is really too dark on TV. The PDC and channels like Sky and ITV obviously don't want shadows on the board, that looks bad on screen. That leaves the light a little muted. On TV it looks bright, but when you're up there, it feels dark."