Michael van Gerwen narrowly avoided a real scare in the first round of the 2026 World Matchplay. Trailing 1-4 to Andrew Gilding on Sunday afternoon in Blackpool, the three-time champion of the tournament eventually won 10-6, with a run that brought the Winter Gardens to life: eight perfect darts before missing out on a nine-darter by a matter of millimetres.
This was not just an opening-round win. It was the kind of match that shows exactly where Van Gerwen is right now: still able to accelerate sharply, but still having to fight through uneven spells. In a draw already shaped by Luke Littler’s 109-average statement, this victory keeps MVG moving without removing every question.
The official PDC source billed this second day as the return of several former champions to Blackpool, including Van Gerwen, James Wade and Gary Anderson. DartsNews’ live coverage confirmed the final score of 10-6 against Gilding, whilst Sky Sports highlighted the sequence of the missed nine-darter.
A shaky start, then Van Gerwen really hit his stride
The start of the match initially proved right those who saw Andrew Gilding as a serious threat. Gilding capitalised on Van Gerwen’s misses on the doubles, slammed out a 102 checkout to break serve, then an 80 checkout to lead 4-1. At that point, the match looked every bit like a dangerous false start for MVG: a disjointed rhythm, missed doubles, and a confident opponent.
Put another way: Van Gerwen wasn’t in control yet. But his comeback was brutal. At 1-4, the Dutchman played an almost perfect leg, hitting eight darts in the right spots, before the ninth missed the mark. He still managed to finish the leg, then followed it up to level the score at 4-4. That’s when the match took a different turn.
Gilding regained the lead at 5-4, but the momentum had already shifted. Van Gerwen levelled the score before the second break, then took the lead for the first time at 6-5. After a final comeback from Gilding to make it 6-6, MVG sealed the deal: four legs in a row, a final 32 checkout, and a qualification that had seemed far from certain half an hour earlier.
Why this victory matters more than the raw score
On paper, a 10-6 win in the first round might look like a comfortable start. The way the match unfolded tells a different story. Van Gerwen had to overcome a three-leg deficit, regain his accuracy on the doubles and cope with an opponent who never gave the match away easily.
For us, it’s above all a sign of mental resilience. For several months now, every one of Van Gerwen’s appearances has been viewed with a mixture of anticipation and caution. He remains a huge name, a former Blackpool champion, but he no longer has that aura of automatic authority that would sometimes see matches decided before the final break. This time, he had to rise to the challenge amidst chaos. He did just that.
The near-nine-darter obviously adds to the buzz surrounding the match. Not because a single missed leg is enough to sum up a match, but because it says something about the potential he still has. When Van Gerwen hits that zone, even for a brief spell, the crowd reacts immediately and his opponent knows the pace can become ferocious.
Day two of the World Matchplay is shaping up to be a cracker
This Sunday session already had plenty to catch the eye. According to the PDC’s preview, Michael van Gerwen, James Wade and Gary Anderson were among the former champions expected on stage at the Winter Gardens. The DartsNews live coverage also highlighted another standout performance of the day: Gary Anderson beat Ryan Joyce 10-2, with a reported average of 109 and two finishes over 100.
So the World Matchplay didn’t just see Littler make a big impact on Saturday evening. The veterans are also responding, each in their own way. Anderson was in fine form. Van Gerwen had to make amends. It’s not quite the same message, but in both cases, it makes the top of the draw a little more competitive.
Only time will tell whether this match was merely a warning or MVG’s first real foothold of the week. What is certain is that an early exit would already have changed the narrative of his tournament. Instead, Van Gerwen remains in contention, and Blackpool has secured its first memorable moment of the tournament.
