Reigning champion Michael van Gerwen will begin his 2024 BetMGM Premier League campaign with a quarter-final tie against the 2023 World Champion Michael Smith.
Van Gerwen said: “It’s definitely going to be a long seventeen weeks, but I think it’s good for darts as we are playing the highest quality of players week in week out and that’s what the fans want,” he said.
The number one Dutchman has won the Premier League a record seven times and will be aiming to win it for a eighth time.
He said: “This is the second biggest tournament after the World Championships.”
“It would be nice to win again but we are seventeen weeks away so we’re going to see”.
“I am feeling comfortable and winning always means a lot to me and that’s the way it is.”
He insisted: “I’m always the man to beat, you can ask any player they always like to beat me, that’s how it is.”
“I’d rather them say someone else than me, but that would be a lie”, he said.
The Dutchman comes into this on the back of winning the Dutch Masters for the very first time, he said: “It’s always a boost and to do it in your home country is always nice and gives you confidence and of going into the Premier League”.
“You need to have the confidence as it is going to be a tough 17 weeks, but I am up for it”, he concluded.
Words By Harry Tovey
HTSPORTSNEWS 