Van Gerwen looking for World Matchplay revival: "The last two years, I underperformed"

Michael van Gerwen will head to the World Matchplay still as the favourite with title sponsors Betfred but outside the top two seeds for the first time since 2012 and for many not the player to be feared.

But with the return to Blackpool comes fans and Van Gerwen is relishing a big tournament and also returning to action in front of a full crowd.

"It's about time. A nice big tournament again and from Monday if everything goes as planned with a big crowd again so I'm looking forward to it," said Van Gerwen to Betfred.

"With crowds, with the pressure, I think it makes me normally even a better player. Lately we had a lot of gaps in between tournaments while we normally play week after week, you need to get a bit used to the new system.

"It's all been a bit different, I think I did well in the last ProTour, my game's started to pick up so I want to do some good damage in the World Matchplay."

But he is under no illusion to the fact that he has underperformed in this tournament recently with no title since 2016 and the last three years have ushered in two second round defeats ever since his loss to Jeffrey de Zwaan in the first round in 2018.

"I love the tournament, I love the format. But the last two years, I underperformed."

But despite that, he believes he doesn't need to prove anything with victory and that the hard work continues.

"I ain't got to prove anything, people know what I'm capable of. I only want to do it for myself, my fans and everyone close around me. You have to keep working hard, nothing is coming automatically."