‘Just wasn’t good enough’ – Van Gerwen’s pal is brutally honest with darts star after Luke Littler defeat

MICHAEL VAN GERWEN’S friend slammed his performance against Luke Littler as “unforgivable” and “not good enough”.

The Dutchman was smashed 7-3 by the teenage sensation in Friday night’s World Championship final.

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Vincent van der Voort, who is a two-time quarter-finalist at Alexandra Palace and close pals with Van Gerwen, criticised his start to the match.

Littler raced into a 4-0 lead in the final and it gave MVG a mountain to climb.

Van der Voort told the Darts Draait Door podcast: “He is so upset about the first four sets.

“He finds that incomprehensible and unforgivable for himself at that moment. You notice that he is so disappointed.

“If Gian [van Veen] comes second at this World Championship, he will think it was a really top tournament. But if you have already won it three times, then you experience second place very differently.

“Second is a very good performance. Out of 96 men, biggest tournament of the year.

“But if you have won it three times, you think it does not count.”

Defeat to Littler wrapped up a challenging year for Van Gerwen, with him lifting just two titles and suffering early losses in several major competitions.

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He is now set to go on holiday to Thailand after an exhibition event in Germany this weekend.

And Van der Voort has warned he must not put his darts away while soaking up the sun.

He said: “If he is smart, he will make it [practice] for an hour every two days.

“If you don’t do anything for two weeks, you are back to square one.

“Normally you can easily stop for two weeks but not now.

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“It’s a matter of building it up again. It just wasn’t good enough before that.

“You can build up to real top form again. I still think we see Michael at 80 per cent.

“Taking a rest is really good and he deserves it now. But you have to keep up with the training.”