Michael van Gerwen and Gary Anderson ‘nowhere near the players they used to be’

Michael van Gerwen and Gary Anderson are ‘nowhere near the players they used to be,’ feels a man who has played them both at the Grand Slam of Darts, Ryan Joyce.

Van Gerwen has crashed out of the Grand Slam at the group stage after defeat to Joyce on Tuesday night and a loss to Anderson in his previous match.

The Flying Scotsman has actually been in sparkling form in Wolverhampton, averaging 113.20 in a 5-1 battering of Joyce and 105.19 as he edged Van Gerwen 5-4.

Joyce, who progresses from the group with Anderson, says both men have lost their fear factor now, though, even though they are still capable of world class performances.

‘I thought it was a really tough group on paper, but if I’m being honest Michael and Gary are nowhere near the players they used to be, although Gary played like that against me!’ Joyce said.

‘They know they’re not playing at their highest level. They don’t have that fear factor anymore, for me.

‘I know I didn’t play well against Gry and he beat us easily but going into the match I wasn’t nervous. That wasn’t the reason I played badly and got beat. He just played magnificently well.’

Van Gerwen is not the only big name to fall early at the Grand Slam, with world champion Luke Humphries, Michael Smith, Dave Chisnall and Peter Wright all eliminated.

Luke Littler now has a great chance to pick up a major trophy, with the Nuke admitting he was stunned to see his rival Humphries heading home early.

‘I just couldn’t believe it,’ he said. ‘I thought he would have gone through, but obviously now I’ve just got to focus on myself and hopefully I win the next game.’

There have not just been shock results of late but surprise winners of huge events, with Mike De Decker winning the World Grand Prix and Ritchie Edhouse achieving European Championship glory.

Both men have continued their brilliant years at the Grand Slam by reaching the knockout stages and Joyce says they have been an inspiration to players who are not used to getting their hands on trophies.

‘It really does help, it helps all the other players,’ he said. ‘The likes of Ritchie and Mike who have done fantastically well winning those two majors recently, it gives everybody a boost

‘I think everybody always knows in the back of their mind that everybody’s capable, but not everybody actually proves it. To see some of the lower-ranked players doing really well and having big runs in majors gives a big boost to everybody.’