'Hungry' Van Gerwen vows to regain number one spot

Michael van Gerwen

Michael van Gerwen has vowed to regain the world number one spot after his seven-year reign on top was ended by World Champion Gerwyn Price.

The Dutchman is now ranked second on the PDC Order of Merit, either side of Price and Peter Wright, with all three players currently boasting over one million pounds in prize money to their names. 

2021 will pose a different challenge to the previous seven years for Van Gerwen, but the 31-year-old insists it is one he is relishing.

"Of course, it's not nice to not be world number one anymore," said Van Gerwen.

"But if I had to pick anyone else who deserves it, it's Gerwyn Price. Fair play to him for what he has achieved.

"I've been on top for seven years, so maybe this is going to help me to get the hunger again.

"I need to make sure I get that number one spot back. I will do, I know that for sure.

"You always need to have challenges. You need to make sure you have the right focus and the right mindset.

"I think my form was good in the end of the year. The last two or three months I was playing really good darts again.

"Dave Chisnall played the game of his life to beat me at the World Championship, but things like the happen in sport. You have to accept it but don't keep accepting it."

Van Gerwen returns to action at the Ladbrokes Masters, which will take place from January 29-31 at the Marshall Arena, Milton Keynes.

Worldwide coverage will be led by host broadcaster ITV4 in the UK and Ireland, as well as through RTL7 in the Netherlands and DAZN in various global territories, as well as through the PDC's global broadcasters, for PDCTV Rest of the World Subscribers and through matchroom.live.

2021 Ladbrokes Masters
Friday January 29 (1900 GMT)

First Round x8
Ian White v Mensur Suljovic
Glen Durrant v Mervyn King
Dimitri Van den Bergh v Chris Dobey
Krzysztof Ratajski v Simon Whitlock
Michael Smith v Adrian Lewis
Daryl Gurney v Jeffrey de Zwaan
Jose de Sousa v Jonny Clayton
Joe Cullen v Stephen Bunting

Saturday January 30
Afternoon Session (1245 GMT)

Second Round x4
Rob Cross v Durrant/King
James Wade v Van den Bergh/Dobey
Nathan Aspinall v White/Suljovic
Dave Chisnall v Gurney/De Zwaan

Evening Session (1900 GMT)
Second Round x4
Gary Anderson v Smith/Lewis
Peter Wright v Ratajski/Whitlock
Gerwyn Price v Cullen/Bunting
Michael van Gerwen v De Sousa/Clayton

Sunday January 31
Afternoon Session (1245 GMT)

Quarter-Finals

Evening Session (1900 GMT)
Semi-Finals
Final