Michael van Gerwen is one step away from clinching a fourth PDC World Darts Championship crown after easing into another final appearance at Alexandra Palace.
The three-time champion was in sensational form in Monday night’s second last-four contest, blitzing Belgium’s Dimitri van den Bergh in a feisty 6-0 whitewash to seal his spot in Tuesday’s London showpiece.
After the pair briefly clashed when Van den Bergh accused his opponent of encroaching on the oche while he was throwing, the Dutchman showed there was only room for him on the stage.
He immediately threw a 170 checkout and went on to dominate, finishing with an average of 108.28 to make himself a huge favourite to triumph once more.
“It feels phenomenal to have played the game I played tonight,” Van Gerwen told Sky Sports. “I gave it everything and I played out of my skin.
“It cost so much energy but I am able to do it and that is the most important thing. With the crowd behind me again today, it feels phenomenal.
“Games can get tense but you need to focus yourself and that is exactly what I did.”
Van Gerwen will face Michael Smith in a repeat of the 2019 final, when the Dutchman claimed his last world title with a 7-3 victory, after ‘Bully Boy’ brushed aside German Gabriel Clemens 6-2 earlier in the evening.
It is a third World Championship final for Smith and second in as many years after his 7-5 defeat by Peter ‘Snakebite’ Wright 12 months ago.
Smith threw 19 180s in a superb display on Monday and took out five 100-plus finishes, including a brilliant 161.
"I told myself I had to step up, it's the semi-finals of the worlds, I can't keep playing the way I was and I did," Smith told Sky Sports. "I had a 180 in the very first leg and that set me up."
