Michael van Gerwen will attempt to win a third PDC World Championship title after sweeping aside Scotland’s Gary Anderson 6-1 in their semi-final on Sunday night. In Tuesday’s final the Dutchman will face the St Helens-born Michael Smith, who played superbly in the other semi-final to end the run of his fellow Englishman Nathan Aspinall 6-3. It will be Smith’s first final.

Van Gerwen won the title in 2014 and 2017 and looked every inch the top seed in a brilliant performance against Anderson at Alexandra Palace in London. Anderson, who struggled to find his best form, at least avoided a whitewash by winning the sixth set but that was where his resistance ended.

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Van Gerwen was thrilled with his performance, telling Sky Sports: “I think I played really well, especially early doors. Gary couldn’t find his form in the beginning and I took advantage of that. I didn’t give him any time to breathe in this game. After the 5-0 I was getting confident.”

Both Smith and Aspinall were playing in the last four for the first time but Smith, 10th seed, had the pedigree against his Stockport opponent and made it count. Smith made a tremendous start and took a 2-0 lead but Aspinall fought back to level at 2-2 and then again for 3-3.

Smith was relentless in his scoring and clinched victory at the first attempt with a 121 checkout. The 28-year-old averaged 105.22 and hit 17 180s – an individual record in a World Championship semi-final – and had a checkout percentage of 51.11.

An emotional Smith said: “I’ve never felt like that ever. I’m so happy, I don’t know what to say. I just took my chances when they came.

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“I nearly made a mess of myself tonight. It felt like I was going to give birth to an ostrich egg or something. I was so nervous but I’m so happy I held it together. I’m one step away from living my dream.”

Aspinall had no regrets at the end of his brilliant run, saying: “I’ve enjoyed every single minute of it. I never thought I’d get to the semi-final. It wasn’t my night but I’m so happy to be involved in a quality game. I wish Michael Smith all the luck in the world because he deserves to win this.”

Smith has won only four of his previous 25 meetings with Van Gerwen. The Dutchman said: “It’s going to be a phenomenal game but I’m going to be a bit different to Nathan Aspinall. This means the world to me. I do a lot to come to this stage but the work is not done yet. I have to do more.”