Michael van Gerwen could not make an ideal start to the Premier League Darts on Thursday night. In Cardiff, 'Mighty Mike' lost 6-5 to Michael Smith in his first match.
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Twice the Dutchman managed to make up a break deficit. Van Gerwen then led 5-4 and was allowed to start the final leg at 5-5. But the engine stalled again, after which Smith managed to take the spoils.
''Either it was very good, or it was just very mediocre like in that last leg,'' Van Gerwen analyzed afterward to Viaplay. The seven-time Premier League champion then referred to his result as a "false start.
''It was a little shaky the whole game, but this just shouldn't happen to me. Point blank. He was just the better player in the beginning of the match. At one point I start to turn it around and have him on the ropes, but then you have to reward yourself. And you can't do that with so many sloppy darts,'' Van Gerwen said.
''It was a little shaky the whole game, but this just shouldn't happen to me. Point blank. He was just the better player in the beginning of the match. At one point I start to turn it around and have him on the ropes, but then you have to reward yourself. And you can't do that with so many sloppy darts,'' Van Gerwen said.
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Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
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