Michael van Gerwen takes aim at Bahrain Darts Masters rival for ‘acting like a numpty’ | Other | Sport

Michael van Gerwen is a player who wears his heart on his sleeve and isn’t afraid to ruffle some feathers with his comments either. After what would’ve been considered a disappointing World Championship outing for the three-time winner, Mighty Mike returned to action for the first time in 2026 at the Bahrain Darts Masters.

The first of this year’s World Series events got underway on Thursday night, with Van Gerwen paired against Filipino player Alexis Toylo. The star of the Asian Tour is well known for his distinctive throwing style, which sees the arrowsmith take his time when throwing the dart.

Van Gerwen, who came through the contest as a 6-4 victor, was seen growing in frustration throughout the encounter, with the Dutchman also passing comment on Toylo’s style during his post-match debrief. Speaking on Thursday night, he explained: “Everyone who knows me knows I don’t enjoy games like this.

“Of course, in patches I think I played alright. And so did he. But his pace and everything is a bit boring, I think. He’s thrown 25 darts before he releases his first one. But that’s his game. So he needs to try to adjust himself. I know him because I’ve known him for quite a long time, so I’m aware of it. But still, it’s not the most easy thing.”

Before remarking: “You need to make sure you stay cool. It’s a tough game. I think he’s a fantastic player. He won the Asian Tour as well, so you’re not talking about a numpty. Maybe he acts like one, but he’s not. He’s a good player. You need to make sure you’re aware of what you’re doing.”

There’s no rest for the wicked when it comes to professional darts, as just a matter of days after the World Championship ended, the schedule once again picks up. On the upcoming events, in particular the World Masters later this month, Van Gerwen commented: “Of course. That’s the most important one — the first important one on the calendar.

“You need to make sure you’re ready for that one. Unfortunately, you need to make sure there’s a lot of important things coming up. Especially with Saudi next week, the Masters afterwards. And straight away we’re going to start with the Premier League. So I’m looking forward to that.”