'No one going to stop me' announces bullish Van Gerwen

Michael van Gerwen has warned Michael Smith that "no one is going to stop me" in his pursuit for a fourth World Championship title. The Dutchman booked a place in Tuesday's final against Smith after demolishing Dimitri van den Bergh 6-0 in his semi-final at Alexandra Palace. Smith, who saw off Gabriel Clemens 6-2 in his last-four tie, had vowed to take "revenge" for his 2019 defeat to Van Gerwen, but that could be a big ask given his opponent's current form.

Van Gerwen has averaged over 100 in every round, culminating in 108.28 against the Belgian, and will be a heavy favourite to add to the titles he won in 2014, 2017 and 2019. There was some drama in his semi-final when Van den Bergh accused his opponent of encroaching on the oche while he was throwing, but the Dutchman showed there was only room for him on the stage with an imperious display. "He is not going to stop me, no one is going to stop me," Van Gerwen said of Smith's vow of revenge.

"I feel too good for that, I feel comfortable and I am playing some good darts. "It feels phenomenal, to play the game I played tonight it feels phenomenal. I gave it everything and I am playing out of my skin at the moment.

It costs so much energy but I'm able to do it, that's the most important thing. It feels phenomenal." On his clash with Van den Bergh, he added on Sky Sports: "I don't really know what his problem was, you have to concentrate to watch your own game and that's what I did. "He probably said I was stamping but he was losing the game so he had to say something." A thrilling final is in prospect as Smith was also in fine form in his victory over the history-making Clemens, who was the first German to reach the last four of the World Championship.