Daryl Gurney suffered a first round exit for a second year in a row in the World Grand Prix with Joe Cullen accounting for him in a last leg decider in the third set.
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Cullen will next face off against Jonny Clayton and he admitted the former champion wasn't at his best on the starting doubles which he punished and he is now confident of producing some of his best form in Coventry.
"I played well in the first set and I thought I was okay in the second but Daryl ground it out. It was a good last leg, whether it was double start or not," said Cullen.
"Daryl's class, he's a Premier League player and you don't expect to get everything your own way. He wasn't at his best on the starting doubles.
"We're all here to win it. Beating a former champion like Daryl is great. I've got the game to beat Michael van Gerwen, like the world number 90 has, but their B-game is better than us mere mortals. If I play well, I take some stopping."
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