PDC World Championship: Michael van Gerwen to play Michael Smith in 2023 final

Michael van Gerwen will play Michael Smith in the final of the World Darts Championship.

The winner of this match will become the new world number one.

Smith defeated Gabriel Clemens in the semi-finals to reach the final.

Van Gerwen is trying to win his fourth world title and was too good for Van den Bergh.

Van den Bergh hit a 170 checkout in the opening set, but had no other answer as Van Gerwen lost only four of the 22 legs played to race into the final.

Van Gerwen said that he was playing out of his skin. I'm able to do it despite the cost. The crowd is behind me again.

No one is going to stop me, he's not going to stop me.

The crowd deserves a great finale. I think the final is good for darts.

Six of the eight sets were decided in the deciding fifth leg of the first semi-final.

It was the first time that a German player had reached the last four.

The 25th seed shared the opening four sets with Smith, but he secured the sixth set against the darts with an 83 checkout on the bull.

Smith said before Van Gerwen's win that everyone can have a bad game. Hopefully it's tomorrow.

I've not been the best but I've stepped up when I have to. I would like to step up tomorrow.

Form players of 2022 reach world final

Van Gerwen was one place ahead of Smith in the world rankings.

After being forced to withdraw from last year's World Championship because of a positive Covid-19 test, Van Gerwen enjoyed a successful 2022.

He beat Smith in the final to win his third world title.

Only Phil Taylor, Eric Bristow, and Raymond van Barneveld have won more World Darts Championship titles.

Smith made his first appearance in a world final in 2019. He lost to Peter Wright in a game a year ago.

Smith won the Grand Slam of Darts in November, ending his long wait for a first major televised title, while the 32-year-old has also reached finals of the UK Open and the European Championship during the past year.