“I try to be as good as Michael – he’s the best there’s ever been”: Danny Noppert pays tribute to Van Gerwen after dumping out Gary Anderson to reach World Grand Prix semis

Danny Noppert has paid tribute to Michael van Gerwen as “the best there’s ever been” after producing one of the performances of his career to dump out Gary Anderson and book his place in the 2025 World Grand Prix semi-finals, where world number one Luke Humphries awaits.

Van Gerwen — a six-time champion in Leicester — crashed out in the opening round to Dirk van Duijvenbode, who himself was later beaten by Jonny Clayton in the quarter-finals. That result leaves Noppert as the last remaining Dutch player in the competition, and “The Freeze” has carried that flag in style, surviving an early onslaught from Anderson to claim a 3–1 victory and move within two wins of a second major title.

“It’s really special,” said Noppert after sealing the win. “I have so much respect for Gary — he’s such a good player. When I was younger, I was watching him on TV. He has the most natural throw in the world. I’m really happy I took it over the line, and I think my own game was steady all night.”

Noppert’s night wasn’t without its turbulence. After storming into a 2–0 lead in the opening set, the Dutchman squandered his advantage, allowing Anderson to steal it with a sublime 158 checkout — a moment that could easily have turned the tide.

“It was a rollercoaster after the first set,” Noppert admitted. “I was 2–0 up and then I destroyed a set for myself. That 158 from Gary, I didn’t expect it — treble 18, treble 18, bull — but you can expect that from a player like him. I just told myself to keep fighting. He deserved that first set, but I came back strong.”

And come back strong he did. Composing himself during the break, Noppert wrestled back control with relentless scoring and timely finishes, eventually closing out the match in the fourth set. “It was a bit nervous at the end,” he said. “But yeah, a class finish to win it. I’m really pleased with the way it went.”

While Noppert’s focus was on the task at hand, his post-match comments reflected both humility and admiration for his compatriot, Michael van Gerwen — whose shock early exit had left seen the three-time world champion's hopes of seventh Grand Prix success end prematurely. “I try to be as good as Michael,” said Noppert. “But of course he’s the best player there’s ever been. I try to be like him, but not yet!”

Noppert has quietly built one of the most consistent resumes in world darts, with a UK Open title and multiple semi-final appearances to his name — all while avoiding the hype that surrounds some of his rivals. Including the World Cup of Darts, this marks his third televised semi-final of the year, a stat that reflects both his discipline and the understated quality that’s made him one of the most dependable players on the PDC circuit.

“I think I’m really steady at the moment,” he said. “Over the last seven or eight years I’ve played quite steady, but the last couple of months my form has been better than before. I’m really happy with how it’s going right now.”

With Van Gerwen long gone and Van Duijvenbode now eliminated, Noppert is the sole Dutchman left in the hunt for the title — a position he’s proud of, even if he’s not interested in waving the flag too loudly.

“I don’t think it’s surprising,” he said when asked about the lack of other Dutch winners in recent years. “From every country there are a lot of talents — England, the Netherlands — but I don’t really have an answer for it.”

Pressed on whether Luke Littler could one day eclipse Van Gerwen’s achievements, Noppert smiled. “Then we have to wait a few years. It’s not about now. We can’t talk about that at this moment — and it’s not about me either.”

Despite his growing success, Noppert remains grounded. The 34-year-old insists that family time is as important as trophies, admitting he’ll skip next week’s ProTour to recharge. “We play a lot of tournaments through the year,” he said. “Next week there’s a ProTour — I’ll skip that one to spend time with my family. That’s important too. We’ve got a European Tour event as well, so it’s a really busy schedule, but you need to make time for your family.”

As for talk of Premier League contention — a topic that inevitably surfaces whenever a major contender breaks through — Noppert wasn’t biting. “I’ve been in that position before, three years ago after the UK Open,” he said. “But not really, no. If they invite me, 100% I’ll play and take the chance, but they haven’t given me that opportunity so far. If it happens, it happens — that’s what life is about: opportunities.”

Now, with just two matches separating him from lifting the iconic double-start trophy, Noppert is determined to make the most of his momentum — even if the format isn’t one he’s naturally fond of.

“I said before this tournament it’s not my favourite — I don’t like the double-in,” he laughed. “But now I’m in the game, I’m looking forward to the semi-final. I’m really pleased to be in the last four.”

For a player labelled ahead of the match as “the most overlooked player on Tour" by the very man he just beat, there’s nothing understated about Noppert’s progress.