Mardle assesses reasoning for Van Gerwen's slump in form: "We can see in every game at the moment, he's not comfortable mentally"

Wayne Mardle believes that Michael van Gerwen's slump in form has nothing to do with his throw and that the World Number One's downturn is all mental and that is a key aspect of his games at the moment.

Mardle spoke about Van Gerwen compared to his potential second round opponent at the World Grand Prix, Devon Petersen saying that 'The African Warrior' on the otherhand is comfortable on his throw and in his mind so is reaping rewards.

"If you've got a throw and an action that is the same all the time, that's not what fails. When you've got a fault in your throw that will come out under pressure.

Now everyone's got a fault of course because you can put the pressure down to tightening up. But if you just believe in what you're doing and like Devon (Petersen) said as long as he's comfortably here (mentally), he's comfortable on his throw," said Mardle to Sky Sports.

"Technically Michael van Gerwen has not changed. I've heard a load of people breaking it down, there's no change. No-one's studied his throw like I have. I feel sure mentally that he's not as comfortable as he was. We can see in every game at the moment, he's not comfortable mentally."

"What that encompasses I don't know. What I know is that it's not his action, it's something else."