"There is still a lot to do": Michael van Gerwen still needs improvement says Vincent van der Voort after opening display

Michael van Gerwen endured his first match at the World Darts Championship on Friday night without much trouble. His opponent James Hurrell was unable to shake Van Gerwen, ending the match in a big 3-0 victory for the three-time world champion.

Saturday, Van Gerwen returned directly to the Netherlands, where he will first spend a day at a vacation park with his family. "That distraction is also part of it. Just a nice day at Centre Parcs, but in between we will still have to practice," Van der Voort said in the podcast WK Darts Draait Door.

Van der Voort was not dissatisfied with his good friend's first match, but at the same time noted that there are still things that can be improved. "3-0 is nice, but there is still a lot to do. If he doesn't realize that himself, that's not good. He really has to have that hunger and that absolute will to make this tournament a success. That's not going to work from the ball pit,'' said the former World Championship quarterfinalist.

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With Hurrell as his opponent, Van Gerwen did not meet the fastest opponent. In his next match against the winner of the duel between Brendan Dolan and Lok Yin Lee, 'Mighty Mike' will again face a slow player.

"If it becomes Dolan, it's another player where you can't get into your rhythm. It will be another match that you have to get out of yourself. We want him to get a little better every round, because in the fourth round probably Gary Anderson or Ross Smith is waiting. Then he has to be there. Then you don't get away with okay play."

But before Van Gerwen takes on Anderson or Smith, he will have to win in the third round. "Dolan is in the same boat as Van Gerwen. He has been playing lousy and hasn't shown any level of play this year. I don't expect him to play like hell. In terms of the draw, the first two matches are all right, but in terms of rhythm you would have preferred someone else."