Michael van Gerwen started his quest for a fourth PDC World Championship title by routing Lewy Williams, with the Dutchman dropping only one leg en path to a commanding 3-0 win.
Van Gerwen needed to withdraw from final yr’s occasion after being struck down by Covid-19 however he’s among the many favourites to regain the Sid Waddell Trophy after claiming 4 main titles in 2022.
He despatched a warning to his rivals at Alexandra Palace on Wednesday night time, averaging 101.84 as he put his overmatched Welsh opponent to the sword to cruise into the third spherical.
Michael van Gerwen made sturdy begin in his bid for a fourth PDC World Championship title
The 2014, 2017 and 2019 champion will tackle both Austria’s Mensur Suljovic or Belgium’s Mike De Decker subsequent Wednesday.
‘It wasn’t excellent however I feel I performed fairly nicely,’ Van Gerwen instructed Sky Sports activities. ‘I needed to work laborious for it, a efficiency like this does not come from nothing.
‘It provides me a whole lot of pleasure to be again on this stage, Ally Pally has a particular place in my coronary heart. To obtain such a tremendous reception from the group means rather a lot to me.
Dave Chisnall defeated fellow Englishman Andrew Gilding to achieve the third spherical
‘I am all the time making an attempt to play darts on the highest degree I probably can. I do know what I am able to.’
Dave Chisnall – who beat Van Gerwen en path to the semi-finals two years in the past – earlier defeated fellow Englishman Andrew Gilding 3-1 in a match the place each gamers recorded seven 180s.
Mervyn King, a quarter-finalist 12 months in the past, withstood a fightback from Danny Baggish, who battled from 2-0 right down to power a decider solely to endure a 3-2 defeat.
There have been additionally wins for Stephen Bunting, Gabriel Clemens, Josh Rock and Darius Labanauskas.
