"I have enough to worry about with my own game" - Van Gerwen ignores Van Leuven debate to get of to perfect start at Grand Slam of Darts

Michael van Gerwen got off to an excellent start at the 2024 Grand Slam of Darts. 'Mighty Mike' whitewashed Noa-Lynn van Leuven 5-0 in his first group match on Saturday night in Wolverhampton.

One of the most eagerly anticipated games in the entire group stage, the history making debut for the first trans player to ever compete in a televised PDC major Noa-Lynn van Leuven, was over in double quick time sadly for the Dutchwoman. Although Van Leuven had the first dart at double in the contest, she missed that dart in the opening leg and a ruthless Van Gerwen punished emphatically from there, racing through the match in five uncontested legs, whitewashing Van Leuven and moving top of the group after Gary Anderson had beaten Ryan Joyce 5-1 in the other game in the group earlier in the night.

Van Gerwen was understandably quite pleased with his performance afterwards. "It was a difficult game. I was thinking I could have settled things a bit easier, but was still tough," he begins his assessment. "People were talking a lot about how it was her first time playing here in a men's tournament and it's always going to be a debate. But I need to put that aside. It's not for me, I need to make sure I do the right thing for myself and I'm glad I did."

Van Leuven didn't get the best of receptions from the Wolverhampton crowd, something even Van Gerwen himself noted. "But what can you do?" He asks. "It's not for me to worry about. I have enough to worry about with my own game. Let alone the crowd and her game and whatever. Mentally, I was strong today."

Van Gerwen did not win a major yet this year, but is still in the top three of the world rankings. "Even though I'm playing shit at the moment, I'm still number three as it stands at the moment. Number twp after the worlds and I'm playing crap! How good is that?" the 35-year-old Dutchman laughed.

UK fans can use Sky Sports during the Grand Slam of Darts. As usual, the tournament begins with a group stage with eight pools of four players each. The group stage takes place from Saturday through Tuesday, with all players playing three times.

The top two players from each group will advance to the knockout phase. Starting Wednesday, Nov. 13, the knockout phase will begin with the first matches of the final sixteen. This round will be completed on Thursday, Nov. 14. The quarter-finals will be played on Friday, Nov. 15, and Saturday, Nov. 16, before the semifinals and finals are finished on Sunday, Nov. 17.