Michael van Gerwen hits back at Dimitri Van den Bergh’s frustration over standing too close to him

Michael van Gerwen hit back at claims he was standing too close to his Belgian opponent Dimitri Van den Bergh during their PDC World Championship semi-final – which he won 6-0. 

The thrashing sent the Dutch great into Tuesday’s showpiece final, where he will face a rematch with England No.1 Michael Smith, who he beat in the final four years ago.   

But while Smith’s earlier 6-2 victory over Germany’s Gabriel Clemens passed without incident, van Gerwen briefly clashed with his foe in the second semi-final. 

Michael van Gerwen is through to his sixth PDC World Championship final after 6-0 victory

Belgian opponent Dimitri Van den Bergh felt the Dutch No.1 was standing too close to him

Van den Bergh accused his opponent of encroaching on the oche while he was throwing. However, the Dutchman showed there was only room for him on the stage.

He immediately threw a 170 checkout and went on to dominate, finishing with an average of 108.28 to make himself a huge favourite to win the title for a fourth time.

Speaking to Sky Sports about the clash with the Belgian after the match, van Gerwen said: ‘I don’t really know what it was all about. You have to concentrate yourself towards your own game and that’s exactly what I did. 

‘Games can get tense, but you need to focus yourself. That’s exactly what I did. 

‘He probably said I was stamping, but he was losing the game, so he had to say something.’ 

England’s No. 1 Michael Smith took the opening semi 6-2 against his German opponent

In Monday’s opening semi-final, Smith beat Clemens 6-2. Smith twice went in front, only for the first ever German semi-finalist at World Championship level to draw back equal, first to 1-1 and then to 2-2.

However, England’s leading darts player took control of the rest of the encounter, winning the next four sets to make it to Tuesday’s final at Alexandra Palace. 

He threw 19 180s and took out five 100-plus finishes, including a majestic 161, to see off Clemens – who made history when he beat Gerwyn Price in Sunday’s shock quarter-final. The Welshman wore ear defenders as he tried in vain to block out an antagonistic crowd. 

Gabriel Clemens was the first German to make the PDC World Championship semi-final stage

‘Bullyboy’ Smith was runner-up in 2019 and 2022, but is dreaming of glory again.

His performances in his two previous finals could have been described as “it’s good but it’s not right” – a line made famous by ITV’s classic gameshow Catchphrase, something Smith declared himself to be a fan of during his post-match debrief with Sky Sports.

Smith said: ‘I’ll wake up tomorrow [Tuesday] and just do what I’ve been doing, lay in bed and watch a few Catchphrases. It has been good. It’s been on about 9 o’clock every morning, it’s the only thing that’s been on at that time.’

Smith set up a rematch of the 2019 final, which his Dutch opponent won 7-3.   

Van Gerwen won his third PDC World Championship final against Smith in 2019 by a 7-3 score

The 32-year-old from St Helens in Merseyside had vowed to take “revenge” for that defeat, but that could be a big ask given van Gerwen’s current form.

Van Gerwen has averaged over 100 in every round, culminating in 108.28 against the Belgian, and will be a heavy favourite to add to the titles he won in 2014, 2017 and 2019.

Speaking after his win, and looking ahead to the rematch with Smith, the Dutchman himself said: ‘He is not going to stop me, no one is going to stop me. I feel too good for that, I feel comfortable and I am playing some good darts.

‘It feels phenomenal, to play the game I played tonight it feels phenomenal. I gave it everything and I am playing out of my skin at the moment. It costs so much energy but I’m able to do it, that’s the most important thing. It feels phenomenal.’