Does MvG put in a power performance?
Tournament opener at the World Grand Prix – and it’s a tough one. Already in the first round there are some top-class matches, among them the explosive match between Michael van Gerwen and Gary Anderson. Both PDC stars have the potential to win the World Grand Prix in Leicester. “MvG” already won that trophy five times in his current career.
How far this year’s World Grand Prix adventure will go nevertheless remains to be seen. Last year Michael van Gerwen was eliminated from the competition in the first round. Gary Anderson also suffered a first round defeat at the 2021 World Grand Prix and will be looking to make amends this year
The best bookmakers see the Dutchman as favourite in the showdown of the two PDC stars. For van Gerwen vs. Anderson, odds of only 1.50 are currently offered for tip 1. In the case of success of the “Flying Scotsman”, however, the stake can be more than doubled.
In this calendar year the two top 10 players of the PDC already met three times. Two of those three encounters were won by “The Flying Scotsman”, but once “MvG” prevailed. In the last meeting in March 2022 Gary Anderson left the stage as winner – a good omen before the World Grand Prix 2022?
Michael van Gerwen – Statistics & current form
The last few weeks couldn’t have gone worse for Michael van Gerwen. Since winning the World Matchplay 2022 and the Queensland Masters in Australia “Magic Mike” didn’t win a tournament. But in the last five tournaments the Dutchman was eliminated in the first round three times.
This was also the case at the most recent competition, the “Belgian Open” in Wieze. Already in the first round Michael van Gerwen failed against local hero Kim Huybrechts. After trailing 1:4 “MvG” fought his way back into the match in the meantime. But in the tenth leg several doubles failed and the Dutchman lost 4:6.
For the former number one of the PDC it was already the fourth defeat in the last five matches. Only against Heta van Gerwen had a win, but he lost against Clayton (2x), Whitlock and Hubrechts
Is MvG suffering from his poor doubles record?
To overcome Gary Anderson in the first round of the World Grand Prix Michael van Gerwen has to work especially on his recent double quota. Against Kim Huybrechts only four of 24 throws on the doubles were converted – one of the worst checkout rates of “MvG” this calendar year.
Encouraging though is the record against the coming opponent from Scotland. Michael van Gerwen won 15 of the last 18 matches against Gary Anderson. But two of the three defeats “MvG” conceded against the Scot in this period were in this calendar year. Only at the UK Open 2022 van Gerwen prevailed against the “Flying Scotsman”.
If “MvG” can level the H2H this calendar year with a win on Monday night, van Gerwen vs Anderson betting odds of 1.50 will pay out on the Dutchman.
Last matches of Michael van Gerwen:
Belgian Open
25/09/2022 – Michael van Gerwen 4 – 6 Kim Huybrechts
World Series of Darts Finals
18/09/2022 – Michael van Gerwen 7 – 10 Jonny Clayton
18/09/2022 – Michael van Gerwen 6 – 4 Damon Heta
Hungarian Darts Trophy
04/09/2022 – Michael van Gerwen 5 – 6 Simon Whitlock
New Zealand Masters
27/08/2022 – Michael van Gerwen 3 – 6 Jonny Clayton
Gary Anderson – Statistics & current form
There hasn’t been much to cheer about for Gary Anderson this calendar year. “The Flying Scotsman” has not yet won a major tournament in 2022, but the Scot already had to bow out in the first round several times. So at the Players Championship 24 in Barnsley where the world number nine of the PDC lost 5:6 against Daryl Gurney.
Last the 51 year old lost his match against Dirk van Duijvenbode and had to say goodbye in the last 16 of the World Series Finals 2022. Against the local hero – the WSL 2022 were played in Amsterdam – he lost 3:6 in the best-of-11. Gary Anderson had a strong average of 90.76 but only a weak double rate of 20 %.
The world number nine hit only three of 15 doubles. So “The Flying Scotsman” lost a match for the third time in a row. Against Michael van Gerwen the negative series will be ended and Gary Anderson will rely on the latest H2H. The last time the Scot met the Dutchman Anderson won 6:4
Has Gary Anderson already passed his zenith?
Once “The Flying Scotsman” was one of the elite of the PDC. But in the meantime the Scotsman is steadily declining – especially in the last months. In the last twelve matches Gary Anderson won only three matches. So it’s not at all surprising that the 51 year old is classified as an underdog in Monday’s match against “MvG”.
Gary Anderson has never been able to win the World Grand Prix so far. The best result for the Scot was in 2016 when “The Flying Scotsman” lost in the final to Michael van Gerwen. Since then the current world number nine of the PDC could only reach the quarterfinals of the upcoming competition.
Last year Gary Anderson was eliminated in the first round by Ian White. In the best-of-3 – after sets mind you – the Scotsman suffered a narrow 1:2 defeat. The third set was only decided in the all deciding fifth leg.
Last matches of Gary Anderson:
World Series of Darts Finals
17/09/2022 – Gary Anderson 3 – 6 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Players Championship 24
05/08/2022 – Daryl Gurney 6 – 5 Gary Anderson
Players Championship 23
04/08/2022 – Gary Anderson 5 – 6 Luc Peters
04/08/2022 – Stephen Bunting 1 – 6 Gary Anderson
Players Championship 22
03/08/2022 – Gary Anderson 3 – 6 Jeffrey de Zwaan
Michael van Gerwen – Gary Anderson Direct comparison / H2H record
In the last 40 meetings between the two elite players of the PDC Michael van Gerwen leads the direct comparison against Gary Anderson with a record of 26-3-11. This year “MvG” and “The Flying Scotsman” already met three times. The Dutchman won two of those three encounters. Only at the UK Open 2022 did “Magic Mike” prevail.
Michael van Gerwen – Gary Anderson Tip
Michael van Gerwen has had some tough setbacks in recent weeks. Nevertheless, the Dutchman will start the World Grand Prix as one of the favourites. Among the active darts players “MvG” is after all record title holder in the upcoming PDC tournament. In the history of the World Grand Prix only Phil Taylor won more titles than Michael van Gerwen.
Monday’s opponent Gary Anderson on the other hand has never won the trophy. Last year the “Flying Scotsman” had to say goodbye in the first round of the World Grand Prix 2021. It is quite possible that the 51-year-old Scot will fail in the first round this time as well. In the tournament opener against “MvG”, the world ninth-ranked player is, after all, the underdog.
We expect a power performance from Michael van Gerwen on Monday evening. The Dutchman is not only looking for revenge against the Scot but also wants to win the next World Grand Prix trophy in this calendar year.
Only a few months ago the Dutchman won the Queens Masters, the PL Finals in Berlin and the World Matchplay 2022. So a title coup at the World Grand Prix 2022 can’t be excluded. For van Gerwen vs. Anderson, we dare to bet on a 2:0 win for “MvG” with odds of 2.37. For this we use five units.
