Van Gerwen receives warning after skipping tournaments: "He is one of those who really has to manage his diary and calendar"

Michael van Gerwen risks a clear dip in form if he doesn’t keep managing his schedule carefully. That warning comes from former professional Matthew Edgar, who questions the Dutchman’s choices in the opening phase of the season.

Van Gerwen will skip Players Championship events three and four in Wigan next week. That decision stands out, because the Dutchman has shown signs of resurgence in recent weeks. He reached a semi-final and a quarter-final on the Pro Tour and currently tops the Premier League after winning the opening night and making the final in Antwerp.

According to Edgar, it’s crucial for Van Gerwen to find the right balance between playing and resting.

"For me, Van Gerwen is one of those people who has to have everything right. If he plays too much, we see his performance drop," he said as per OLBG.

“If he doesn’t play enough, we see his performance drop. He is one of those who really has to manage his diary and calendar.

That’s precisely why Edgar doesn’t understand why Van Gerwen is skipping the Pro Tour week in Wigan while he’s in a good spell. “What is interesting for me is that he is not going to the ProTours next week. He has got this form going, he is playing well.

“He did well on the ProTours this previous week, and he is not going to Wigan.

Edgar points to recent history. Last year, Van Gerwen missed the Players Championship Finals in Minehead, something that has rarely happened in his career. “That is interesting for me, the fact that he missed out on the Players Championship Finals last year.

According to Edgar, it’s notable that Van Gerwen is sticking to the same approach. “It was 2011 the last time he didn’t make a major tournament. Now he has gone, ‘I am going to play in the same amount of events as I did last year. “I am not going to play any extra.’ You have just failed for the first time in 15 years and you go, ‘I am going to do the same thing.’”

Van Gerwen returns to action in the Premier League on Thursday. A marquee clash with Luke Littler awaits in Glasgow. The match gives him a chance to reinforce his strong start to the season.