Gary Anderson predicts “culture shock” for Michael van Gerwen

Gary Anderson insists players are “not scared” of Michael van Gerwen and believes the Dutchman will not have things all his own way in the coming years.

Anderson claimed BetVictor World Matchplay glory in July to add to the UK Open title he secured earlier in the year and has affirmed himself as Van Gerwen’s number one threat.

Van Gerwen, meanwhile, has 17 PDC titles to his name this season, including the Unibet Premier League, though much of his success has come on the European Tour – a circuit which Anderson has historically chosen to swerve.

Van Gerwen is defending winning prize money from 2016 in four major ranking tournaments between now and the end of the year, including the World Championship, and Anderson does not expect the green machine to enjoy similar domination.

“Michael is still the best, he’s still number one but people are not scared of him,” Anderson told Live Darts.

“I love playing Michael, he plays my kind of game, my rhythm, and if I’m on my game he knows what he’s going to get.

“But it’ll be a bit of a culture shock to him, I don’t think he’s going to get his own way.”

Anderson ended his Blackpool bogey two months ago, joining an elite group of players to have lifted the iconic World Matchplay trophy, and the Scot says it was a relief to finally go the distance.

He added: “Blackpool had been a nightmare stage for me, it’s not one of my favourite tournaments but it was great.

“I think the best game I played was against young Jeffrey [De Zwaan] – I thought he was brilliant the whole tournament.

“Before the Mensur game I’d been up since 2 o’clock in the morning and had 45 minute’s sleep so I was absolutely shattered but managed to nick it at the end.”

The world number four has the opportunity to close the gap on those above him in the Order of Merit in a relentless spell of upcoming events but insists he has not set himself any specific targets.

“I just play darts, that’s why if I do get beaten there’s no wobblers thrown,” added Anderson.

“If it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be, that’s the way I look at it so we’ll see what the rest of the year holds.”