Michael van Gerwen showed his resilience at the 2026 Belgian Darts Open in Wieze, securing a tense 6-4 victory over Mickey Mansell in the second round. The three-time world champion highlighted a crucial turning point where he held his throw under pressure, stating, "I've been in that position dozens of times, probably fifty or a hundred times, so I know what to do in moments like that. The most important thing is that I won the game." His experience proved vital as he remained calm and focused to advance.
Despite the win, Van Gerwen was not fully satisfied with his performance, admitting his level lacked consistency. He said, "I think I played okay in patches. At times I played brilliantly, but I need to make sure I can do that consistently throughout the game." He emphasized the importance of finding that level more often to do damage in the tournament and praised the crowd support in Wieze, adding, "With this crowd on my side as well, it's absolutely fantastic. The support is great."
Away from the match, Van Gerwen shared a special moment involving his daughter, who came to support him. He explained, "Yesterday afternoon she said to me, 'Daddy, I want to come to the darts with you.' So I arranged it. It's always nice to have my daughter on my side. She's my little girl, so it's always good." However, he remains focused on performance, noting, "I need to make sure I keep performing in this tournament because it's difficult enough."
With this win secured, Van Gerwen now turns his attention to the next round, where he will face Daryl Gurney in the last 16 on Sunday afternoon. Gurney advanced after defeating Damon Heta 6-3 in the previous round. Van Gerwen's experience continues to be a key strength as he aims for the title in Wieze.
