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Sport

24th Mar 2019

Michael van Gerwen lands stunning 9-darter in European Darts Open semi-final

Wayne Farry

Is there anything Michael van Gerwen can’t do?

There are some sportspeople which are so good that – even among their peers at the top of their sports – stand out as being the personification of excellence.

Lionel Messi plays this role in the world of football, Usain Bolt in athletics and Serena Williams in tennis. For darts, that person is undoubtedly the one and only Michael van Gerwen.

The Dutchman consistently achieves things at the oche that surpass what was done before, both himself and others, and on Sunday night he did it yet again.

Playing against Mensur Suljović in the semi-final of the PDC European Darts Open, van Gerwen unleashed a level of performance that is hard to believe even for him.

Trailing to the Austrian in Leverkusen, van Gerwen produced a perfect 9-darter to level things up, before surging to victory with a score of 7-5.

Never a man to go about things in the conventional manner, van Gerwen throw 147 after a 180 and a 174. This was then followed by a T19, Bullseye and, as the crowd went wild coming to terms with what they were about to witness, a D20 to win the leg.

Van Gerwen now progresses to the final, where he will face either Peter Wright or Rob Cross.