"The Czech crowd love me, but I love them even more'' - Michael van Gerwen enjoys the atmosphere at the Czech Darts Open

Michael van Gerwen has convincingly reached the third round of the Czech Darts Open in Prague. He showed Saturday night that he still belongs to the absolute top of darts by sending Belgian Mike De Decker back home with a ruthless 6-0 whitewash.

The three-time world champion delivered perhaps his best performance of the year so far. With an average of 112.73 and hardly any missed doubles, Van Gerwen let the spectators at the PVA Expo enjoy old-fashioned dominant darts. For Decker, the reigning World Grand Prix champion, there was simply no answer.

From the first arrow, Van Gerwen set the tone. With tight scores and razor-sharp finishes, he took the first legs at a rapid pace. "I think especially the first four or five legs were of a very high standard and to do this again, it feels amazing. It's been a while for me, you know what I mean? It's been hard for me the last few months, but then to do this again in front of this crowd is amazing."

The crowd in Prague stood as one behind the Dutchman, who visibly enjoyed the ambiance. The way he did not allow his opponent a single leg underlined not only his form of the day, but also his hunger to take prizes again.

Van Gerwen has been critical of his own performance in recent months. Although he is undeniably among the best in the world, he said he sometimes lacked confidence and consistency. "My confidence level has not been that great the last few months, probably a year, but if I keep working hard like I do now, then I can show some more performances like this," he said.

With the convincing victory against De Decker, he hopes to set a new path toward success on the European Tour. Remarkably, Van Gerwen has been waiting for a place in the quarter-finals of a Euro Tour tournament since April. The encounter in the third round against Josh Rock will therefore not only be a nice draw, but also an important measure of his form.

On Sunday afternoon in the last sixteen, Van Gerwen will meet Northern Irishman Josh Rock, who this year managed to win the World Cup of Darts together with Daryl Gurney. Rock is considered one of the greatest talents on the circuit and has firmly established himself at the top of international darts.

A clash between Van Gerwen and Rock guarantees spectacle: experience and proven class versus youthful élan and hunger for success. For Van Gerwen, the match offers the chance to finally take another step toward a final spot on the European Tour.

Despite his recent volatility, Van Gerwen made it clear that he is still confident in his own abilities. "Of course I can do it. Everyone knows if I play my game, I can beat anyone any day, but I have to do it more often, you know what I mean?"

With his impressive performance against De Decker, Van Gerwen at least made a powerful statement. The question now is whether he can continue this level against the young challenger Rock. The darts world is eagerly awaiting this duel, in which Van Gerwen has the chance to show that his best days are far from behind him.

He also praised the Czech crowd in sealing the win. "The Czech crowd love me, but I love them even more, you know what I mean? They've always been so good to me from the beginning till... we don’t know when the end’s going to be, but they're fantastic and I can only appreciate that, you know what I mean? It's a hard thing sometimes, especially when you're not playing your A-game, but then to have this full support, I get goosebumps, you know what I mean? It feels really good."