30/11/2020

Van Gerwen wins sixth Players Championship Finals crown with thrilling win over King

Michael van Gerwen is back in the winners' circle in a major TV tournament for the first time since March and it is a sixth Players Championship Finals triumph.

But Van Gerwen was made to seriously work for it being taken to a deciding leg by Mervyn King in an absolute thriller to end the final tournament before the World Championship.

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Van Gerwen took the opening leg with a 96 checkout before King levelled with double 10. King followed that up with a 115 checkout to move 2-1 up, it was a 3-1 lead but Van Gerwen thumped in a 146 checkout to reduce the deficit to just one.

He took out 94 to break back and restore parity at 3-3. They continued to be level at 4-4 but Van Gerwen led with a 72 checkout on double 20 to regain the upper-hand.

At the break, he smashed in a 160 checkout with King having got down to 100 with a brilliant 177. King wasn’t best pleased as he was two behind after a superb spell from the World Number One.

An 81 checkout in a brilliant reply from King to break back with an 11-darter saw him 6-5 behind. He battled back on his throw but MVG smashed in a 120 to break again at 7-5 up.

He left 38 on Van Gerwen’s throw but he watched as MVG missed a 152 to hold and King split to pin double 16 and break again and make it 7-6.

He hit double 20 to make it 7-7 as he looked to take the game to Mighty Mike again. It was an off leg for King and Van Gerwen lead 8-7.

King and Van Gerwen both returned with 180’s but MVG pinned a remarkable 135 checkout pinning a seemingly obscured bull.

A 134 to leave 36 saw Van Gerwen given the chance to go one away but King thumped in a 126 to break immediately back at 9-8 down. This opportunity saw him hold his throw to make it 9-9 after seemingly being done.

Van Gerwen coped with serious pressure from King though to pin double eight and he went one away at 10-9.

King suffered a bounceout on 120 for double 20 but with MVG unable to pin 164, King pinned double 20. It was a poor final leg though and despite Van Gerwen missing two match darts, King was way back. Van Gerwen came back and survived the late pressure to pin double eight.