Mardle predicts Van Gerwen will retain World Grand Prix crown: 'He's won this four times. He knows how to win it'

Mardle said that from his perspective, the cream always rises to the top and despite Van Gerwen having poor spells at times this year, he still remains the best in the world .

'Throughout the decade, it's always been, apart from a Brendan Dolan that kind of came from nowhere, you can kind of say that the good players do eventually reach the final, or the latter stages,' said Mardle to Sky Sports.

'Even with the Gurney-Whitlock final. While they weren't expected to reach the final and for Daryl Gurney to win it, you could see the quality normally gets through somewhere.'

'Michael van Gerwen is by far the best player in the world, even when he's off, which he has been for huge chunks of this year. His stats are still better than anyone else. He's won this four times. He knows how to win it. He's won it in '14, '16, '18, so he can't win i`t, he has to win it in '20!'

'He's brilliant at tops, and he's very good at coming down into the 60. I'm still amazed that he hasn't hit a nine-darter in this event. I really see him as the one, I really do.'

Mardle added that for him no one knows the format better than MVG ad that he has sent a message out already that he is the man to beat.

He believes Michael Smith or Ian White will await him late on in the semi-final and that he hopes White in particular can make his mark on the big stage.

'Michael knows that this format suits him, and he knows that he is one of the best, if not the best double-hitter on the planet. He's up there in every statistic you can pull out. Not only that, but he's the most consistent. He's proven that and is a three time world champ now. He's got to think 'well they've got to beat me.'

'I think……. I'm going to say MVG will play Michael Smith or Ian White in the semi-final. I've said it year after year about Michael Smith. But also it's come to the point where Ian White is now one of the best players in the world on a daily basis, but he's got to be one of the best in the world on a big stage.'