World Grand Prix final preview as Michael van Gerwen meets Gary Anderson
Monday 20 April 2020 09:18, UK
Michael van Gerwen and Gary Anderson meet in Dublin as they battle it out for the World Grand Prix crown, live on Sky Sports 1.
Anderson and Van Gerwen last met in a major televised final in the Premier League which Anderson won, coming out on top in 2015 when both men averaged in excess of 105 in a classic.
John Part believes we are going to see more of the same on Saturday when the action gets underway from 8.30pm.
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"The two pearls of the tournament are going to be battling it out - it was an excellent night of darts and Michael is the number one in the world but Gary is the world champ," said Part.
"I believe it will really be an epic final and I think it will go pretty deep, if not all the way because they will not give in to each other, they just won't.
"They both looked good, they are ready for each other and there is no surprises - it's in front of them what they have to do. We will see the two best players in the tournament by far in a real clash of the titans."
Anderson was below par in his quarter-final win over Kim Huybrechts but averaged just under 99 in seeing off Raymond van Barneveld in an impressive semi-final display.
Not to be outdone MVG, winner of the UK Open, World Matchplay and Premier League already this year, averaged just under 100 to see off a game Dave Chisnall.
The averages underline the quality of Saturday's finalists and while some are overawed by Van Gerwen, Part believes Anderson will rise to the challenge of the facing the world number one.
"I think that Gary has never been bothered by playing against MVG and he will just get in there and think he has every right to win - MVG will obviously think the same thing," he said.
"Anderson doesn't have to stop Van Gerwen, he just has to be Gary Anderson and not worry about Michael and just take his chances and I think that's how Gary Anderson becomes the champ."
Anderson claimed his second successive world title in January this year but the back-to-back world champion has yet to stamp his mark on the other majors, this will be his first World Grand Prix final and he is yet to win the Matchplay.
But Part believes that will add fuel to the fire - and he is speaking from experience.
"It means a lot to Gary. I think as an ex-world champion myself I was a little disappointed that I never cracked the Matchplay or the Grand Prix because they are the longest running in the PDC, so I can relate to how I think Gary might really want to take this title," Part added.
"It is a short turnaround to play a major final of this status in just one day but it's good to have them playing equally well and standing up to good performances against them."
For now, Part is relishing the showdown between the two best players in the game at the moment: "It doesn't get much better than the world champion against the world number one.
"I think MVG might set the pace early but it is hard to say that because Gary can be so explosive. I guess it will come down to the doubling in and who gets away with the 160s more often.
"They will both be good…really good so it will come down to a missed double here and there and maybe a high out shot here and there but they will be pretty level."
You can follow all the action from Saturday's final with our live blog and on Sky Sports 1 from 8.30pm.
