Michael van Gerwen is bidding to claim back-to-back world titles for the first time in his career but isn't feeling extra pressure about the challenge.
The Dutchman, who has won 14 titles this season including eight televised crowns, heads to the 2020 World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace in supremely confident mood of lifting the Sid Waddell Trophy for a fourth time.
His most recent triumph at the Players Championship Finals, in which he beat Gerwyn Price a day after hitting a nine-darter, was his fourth TV title in just over a month having also triumphed in the World Grand Prix, Champions League and World Series of Darts Finals but he's hotly pursued in the betting by the Iceman.
🙌 We have our first televised nine-dart finish of 2019!
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) November 23, 2019
😂 Guess who threw it...pic.twitter.com/Goswe19LXl
Phil Taylor, Adrian Lewis and Gary Anderson have all retained their world titles in years gone by while van Gerwen and John Part are the only other multiple champions not to manage it.
MVG, who plays Jelle Klaasen or Kevin Burness in his opening match on Friday December 13, told www.pdc.tv: "People love to make up a story somehow so it doesn't bother me that I've never defended it.
"They said it too about the World Grand Prix and I defended that this year, so I won't be getting involved in anything like this.
"I prepared quite well for this tournament by winning the Players Championship Finals, my opponents threw everything at me but it wasn't enough.
"I have a big target on my back and when you're doing well all the time a lot of people don't want you to win.
"I showed some weakness in the summer but then to bounce back feels even better, I love proving people wrong when they doubt me.
"If I'm at my very best the other players cannot beat me, but you have to show it on the stage and you can't make mistakes.
"Whoever is on my path I want to destroy, simple."
Van Gerwen also revealed that he is eyeing Phil Taylor’s record of televised titles, having recently lifted his 50th individual televised title in the PDC - and 51st overall.
The Dutchman, who reached his career half-century at the World Series of Darts Finals in November, won his first way back in the 2006 BDO World Masters but he'd have to wait until 2012 for his second at the World Grand Prix.
Taylor managed a haul of 96 TV trophies in the PDC and 101 overall and MVG said: "You always have to set yourself targets and one of mine is to beat Phil's record of TV titles.
"You have to be realistic and say probably no one is ever going to be a 16-time World Champion again, but to win 100 TV titles I think is definitely possible.
"To beat any record set by Phil Taylor would mean a lot to me because of how good he was for the sport both in darts and the mental aspect of the game.
"Unfortunately he beat me in our only world final and one of my big regrets is not being able to put that right.
"But you have to move on, I'm still doing okay so it's nothing to worry about."
