"Trust me. This is the only start" - Van Gerwen on a mission to reclaim world number one status after World Series triumph

Michael van Gerwen was the best at a televised tournament for the fourth time in 2023 last weekend. After final victories at the Premier League Darts, US Darts Masters and the Poland Darts Masters, this time the World Series of Darts Finals was a triumph for "Mighty Mike.

Van Gerwen had his easiest match of the tournament in the final. The 'Green Machine' had come through hard-fought wins over William O'Connor (6-4), Dimitri van den Bergh (10-8) and Luke Humphries (11-10) to qualify for the final. In the final match, he settled with Nathan Aspinall (11-4).

The 34-year-old from Vlijmen could look back on his victory in the AFAS Live in Amsterdam with satisfaction. “It was a tough weekend, but I think I deserved it. You always want to perform well, and to win a title in front of your home crowd, it gives you extra joy," Van Gerwen said in conversation with the PDC.

“When you have to dig deep and fight to win matches, it’s good for your confidence, but of course there is more work to do. I’m not playing my best yet, but I’m still winning, and that is a really nice feeling. We all know where I am coming from. I’ve had a lot of time off, and I’m trying to battle back now and regain my confidence, to go on all the way towards the World Championship.”

The television tournaments Van Gerwen managed to win this season all did not count toward the world rankings. His last final victory at a TV ranking tournament dates to November 2022, when "Mighty Mike" won the Players Championship Finals.

To reach his next goal, Van Gerwen would like to end that streak and soon. “Being the world number one is my biggest goal. I want to be back at the top [of the rankings]. It is going to be a tough task, but I know I’m capable of doing that. It’s a crucial period coming up, but I will be ready for it, trust me. This is the only start," Van Gerwen promised.