Van Gerwen wins seventh Players’ Championship title
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Michael van Gerwen beat Rob Cross 11-6 to win his seventh PDC Players Championship final title in 10 years.
The 33-year-old Dutchman shot the only nine-dart final of the 2022 tournament, the third in its history, and a 170 start in the final.
Van Gerwen averaged 99.92 and hit eight 180s, with his victory over England’s Cross also marking his 150th PDC title.
“I’m here to win tournaments,” he told ITV Sport in Minehead.
“I love to win, I love to perform on stage, and then to produce something extra, something special in a final like this, it gives me a lot of energy.”
Van Gerwen had earlier beaten England’s Luke Humphries 11-5 in their semi-final, in which he won eight of his last 10 games and averaged 101.59.
He then defeated Cross to claim his fifth televised title of 2022, with the World Grand Prix, Premier League and World Matchplay among his wins.
“It’s been an amazing weekend, but it was Michael’s night,” Cross said. “Mike was phenomenal.
“Once I started finding my feet and finding a few 180s, it could have been a little different, but I missed chances and missed doubles.”
The Players Championship is the last major tournament before the PDC World Darts Championship, which takes place at Alexandra Palace from 14 December to 2 January.
Van Gerwen is a three-time PDC World Champion, most recently winning the crown in 2019.
“If people want to beat me, they have to play well. If I play my game, they can’t beat me and they know it,” he added.
“But I have to show what I can do, whether it’s Gerwyn Price, Peter Wright, whoever, I want to show what I can do. I’m there, I’ve done my part this year, I’ve won a lot of tournaments and now I have to show it at the World Cup as well. It is what it is.”
