Michael van Gerwen vows to "keep fighting for everything" after disappointing display in Rotterdam Premier League Darts

Night 11 of the Premier League Darts ended in major disappointment for Michael van Gerwen. Playing in front of a home crowd at Rotterdam’s Ahoy Arena, the 35-year-old Dutchman crashed out in the quarter-finals against Stephen Bunting.

Van Gerwen never really found his usual rhythm in the match, but still managed to force a deciding leg. He even had the advantage of throwing first, but a brilliant 11-darter from Bunting sealed the Dutchman’s fate.

“You try to put him under pressure, but I think I made things difficult for myself earlier in the match,” Van Gerwen told Viaplay.

“I’m not in a position right now where things are coming easily, so you have to fight tooth and nail for every dart, every leg, every score,” he continued. “And sometimes you just make things harder for yourself.”

Despite the loss, Van Gerwen was able to find some positives. “But that means nothing right now. A dart slipping into treble 1 or treble 3 at a crucial moment - bad luck. But that’s what happens when you’re in a tough spot. You have to take the hits and deal with them.”

Van Gerwen is back in action this weekend at the German Darts Grand Prix. “When you're in a situation like this, you’ve got to invest a lot of time and energy,” he said. “I won’t shy away from that - I’ll keep fighting for everything. I’ve been in these kinds of situations before, I know how to deal with them, and I will. Sitting still is not an option.”

Even his best friend Vincent van der Voort knows something needs to change - and quickly. “Something has to happen, but there just isn’t any time. Only after the Premier League Darts can you really start working on it. Until then, it’s all about damage control.”