Dutchman Michael van Gerwen beats Gerwyn Price in final on first of two nights in Wigan; Luke Littler, Luke Humphries and new World Grand Prix champion Mike De Decker all exit early; watch the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton from November 9-17 - live on Sky Sports
Tuesday 15 October 2024 21:35, UK
Michael van Gerwen returned to winning ways with victory at the Players Championship 27 in Wigan after last week's shock first-round exit at the World Grand Prix.
The Dutchman, who failed to win a single leg in his defeat to Daryl Gurney seven days ago, claimed his third PDC ranking title in the space of a month with an 8-4 win over Gerwyn Price.
After his own first-round exit last week in Leicester, Luke Littler failed to progress past Tuesday's second round in Wigan in defeat to Lee Cocks (6-2) while World Grand Prix champion Mike De Decker dropped out in round three against Gurney (6-3).
World champion Luke Humphries, last Sunday's losing finalist to De Decker, made it one round further than the Belgian before losing 6-2 in the last 16 to Damon Heta.
Van Gerwen, who won Players Championship 21 and the Hungarian Darts Trophy last month, came through a 128-man field with victories over Dylan Slevin, Scott Williams, James Wade, Luke Woodhouse, Jonny Clayton and compatriot Wessel Nijman.
In the final against Price, who was appearing in his first Players Championship final since November 2023, Van Gerwen initially fell 2-0 and then 3-2 behind before hitting top form to turn the match around.
Checkouts of 88, 72, 142 and 112 gave the Dutchman a 6-3 lead, with a 12-darter from Price in what proved the penultimate leg ultimately not enough for the Welshman to turn the tide.
Reflecting about his disappointing performance and early exit at the World Grand Prix, Van Gerwen said: "I was away for three weeks with different problems [illnesses].
"It is frustrating but it is what it is. Sometimes health comes first, and I'm glad I won today.
"My energy levels have to be a little bit better, but overall I can't complain, because these ProTours are very difficult, especially when you've already been doing this for 18 or 19 years."
Price had beaten Damon Heta 6-1 in the quarter-final and then came through 7-4 in his semi-final against Ryan Searle, who had earlier hit a nine-darter in the third round against Jermaine Wattimena.
The Players Championship double-header continues on Wednesday.
Live darts returns to Sky Sports with the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton from November 9-17 as Luke Humphries looks to defend his title.
Attention then switches to the turn of the year and the 2025 PDC World Darts Championship, beginning on December 15, as the darts calendar continues to provide excitement throughout the year - and you can enjoy the very best here live on Sky Sports.
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