Michael van Gerwen was forced to overcome boredom as he produced a blistering eight-leg winning streak to book his spot in the semi-final of the World Matchplay.
The Dutchman is eyeing a fourth title at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool and is into the last four after seeing off Andrew Gilding 16-10.
Van Gerwen surprisingly lost to Gilding in the UK Open final last year and must have feared another upset when he saw 'Goldfinger' have a dart at double 10 to take a 7-3 lead.
Gilding missed, though, and Van Gerwen soon pounced, with a 136 checkout kickstarting a thrilling run of legs, which saw him turn an 8-6 deficit into a 14-8 advantage.
SIX ON THE SPIN!
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) July 19, 2024
Michael van Gerwen is racing towards the finish line here!
Six legs without reply for the Dutchman, who now leads 12-8 in the race to 16!
📺 https://t.co/ETSHShs52H#WMDarts | QF pic.twitter.com/5wkTYcTThX
He was able to get over the finish line from there to set up a seventh last-four appearance.
Van Gerwen was unhappy with his finishing on the doubles and also found Gilding’s pace difficult to contend with.
"It was a really tough game, everyone knows to play him is tough, he is very slow," he said.
"Sometimes it is a bit boring to play, but what a darts player. You have to be on the top of your game. It was tough I have to admit that. Sometimes it was difficult.
"I missed too many doubles, it was hard but in the end I found another gear and was able to win the game.
"I know I can do a lot better. I am battling my own battles."
Van Gerwen will have to up his game when he meets Michael Smith in the semi-final.
Smith did what he needed to do as he demolished Rob Cross, who will have nightmares about double 16.
Smith has had a barren time since his World Championship win 18 months ago, failing to win a major title since.
But winning a Pro Tour event and teaming up with Luke Humphries to win the World Cup of Darts seems to have brought ‘Bully Boy’ back to life and he is a contender to win a first Matchplay crown.
He was the better player but was the recipient of some wayward finishing, with Cross getting the yips on double 16.
SMITH POWERS INTO THE LAST FOUR!
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) July 19, 2024
Michael Smith comfortably through to the Semi-Finals as he beats Rob Cross 16-7.
He will face Michael van Gerwen for a place in the final.
📺 https://t.co/ETSHShs52H#WMDarts pic.twitter.com/SDhKRWOmyR
The 2019 champion missed 12 attempts at the bed and it proved costly as Smith swept to a landslide 16-7 win.
"I just said to Rob his doubles early on were non-existent and I was just stepping in and taking my shots," he said.
"If he is not going to take them I’ll take them all day long and now I’m in the semi-final.
"Every time I turned around I thought he would miss because he was having three darts at 32 and Rob Cross doesn’t miss those."
