Michael van Gerwen insists the best is yet to come ahead of a potential clash against Luke Littler at the Premier League.
The Dutchman has warned his opponents that he has not yet hit top form after what he feels was an unacceptable performance on the opening night in Cardiff.
Seven-time champion Van Gerwen lost to Michael Smith in his opening match of the competition last week.
The 34-year-old fell apart in the final leg and 2023 world champion Smith took advantage in the quarter-final clash.
Luke Littler has been warned that Michael van Gerwen is not yet at his best
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Smith then beat Littler in the semi-final on night one before overcoming Gerwyn Price in front of his home fans in the final.
Van Gerwen was left frustrated with how he played, saying his shaky performance 'shouldn't happen to me'.
If he reaches the final in Berlin, he could play Littler for a third time in the space of three weeks.
Van Gerwen has sent an ominous message to the youngster and the rest of his rivals that he will soon be firing on all cylinders.
He said: "There is lots more to come from me. I was a little shaky the whole game against Michael, and this just shouldn't happen to me. Simple as that.
"I am not in form yet. I'm still struggling here and there, and I know I can do a lot better.
"You have to perform at the right moments. I have a lot to gain, but you have to work hard for it."
Van Gerwen will play Nathan Aspinall in the first match on Thursday, with Littler up against 2018 world champion Rob Cross.
Littler will play either Luke Humphries or Peter Wright if he progresses to the semi-final, with Van Gerwen potentially waiting in the final if he wins a semi against either Price or Smith.
Van Gerwen was beaten by Littler in their first meeting in the final of the Bahrain Masters last month.
The Dutch star got his revenge over the teenager a week later, beating him in the final of the Dutch Darts Masters.
Ahead of the Premier League, Van Gerwen insisted Littler will not receive extra protection from fellow players due to his age.
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Michael van Gerwen insists the best is still to come for him at the Premier League
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He said: "Really? Of course not. Welcome to the big boys. He is not a youth player anymore. Those days are gone.
"Of course, he’s still only a kid, but now you have got to battle against each other on the stage and there cannot be any mercy whatsoever.
"It’s not hard at the moment because he doesn’t have any scars. Whatever he does, being a runner-up is good, winning is good.
"Whatever he does, whatever he says, everybody loves everything about him. But during a game, if he looks at his watch and says, ‘How can I miss again?’, in five years’ time they will boo you. That’s the way darts works now.
Michael van Gerwen could play Luke Littler on the second night in the Premier League
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"At the beginning everything goes well, but then everything gets normal.
"Guys like him only get born once in so many years and he’s a special talent, of course, but he still has to do it every year. He is with the big guys now."
