Michael van Gerwen: Dutchman suffers sixth first-round exit on ProTour this year as Krzysztof Ratajski picks up spoils
Michael van Gerwen suffers Players Championship 15 defeat to Dominik Gruellich in Hildesheim; watch Premier League Darts live on Sky Sports every Thursday, up to and including the Play-Offs at London's O2 Arena on May 29
Monday 12 May 2025 20:26, UK
Michael van Gerwen suffered a sixth first-round exit on the ProTour this year as he went down to a 6-5 defeat against young German prospect Dominik Gruellich in Hildesheim.
Van Gerwen, who has yet to win a night in this year's Premier League, has struggled for consistent form this year, although he did claim his 38th Euro Tour title at the German Grand Prix last month and hit a nine-darter as he showed flashes of brilliance.
The three-time world champion lost 6-4 to Luke Humphries in their Premier League quarter-final in Leeds last week.
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Gruellich, 23, held his nerve at Players Championship 15 to upset the Dutch star in a last-leg decider.
With world champion Luke Littler, world No 1 Luke Humphries and Gerwyn Price already assured of a spot at London's O2 for the Premier League Play-Offs at the end of the month, Van Gerwen faces a battle with Nathan Aspinall for the final place.
He currently sits fourth in the table, a single point ahead of Aspinall, before they face each other in Aberdeen this Thursday - live on Sky Sports.
The eventual winner of PC15 was Krzysztof Ratajski who produced a remarkable turnaround to clinch his first PDC ranking title since September 2023.
Ratajski defeated Dave Chisnall 8-4 to pocket the £15,000 top prize in Hildesheim, which also moves him into the provisional qualification places for July's Betfred World Matchplay.
The 48-year-old had incredibly lost seven consecutive first round matches on the PDC ProTour prior to Monday's play, but he halted that run in sensational style at Halle 39.
Ratajski rattled off four straight legs to seize control against Chisnall, following up legs of 15, 14 and 15 darts with a 123 checkout to lead 4-1.
Chisnall reduced the arrears to 4-3 with back-to-back legs of his own, but after maintaining his cushion with a brace of 13-darters, Ratajski wrapped up victory with a fabulous 86 finish on the bull.
Has MVG lost his fear factor?
Colin Lloyd, the 2004 World Grand Prix and 2005 World Matchplay winner, feels Van Gerwen has lost his fear factor on the oche.
Speaking to talkSPORT, Lloyd - nicknamed 'Jaws' - said: "There's just far too many inconsistencies that's crept into his game over a period of time and unfortunately for him it's getting a little bit often now. I'm going to say it like this: he's lost that fear factor now.
"He isn't the dominant player that he was. I'm certainly not putting him down cause he's a class act and he's a class fella.
"But you've got the likes of Littler, Humphries, Aspinall, Price, and people away from the Premier League at the moment, like Jonny Clayton, that all want a piece of the action.
"It gets tougher and tougher when you have so many people taking chunks out of you. Is it catching up with Michael? I personally think it is a little bit.
"He's got nothing to feel bad about. He shouldn't feel ashamed about anything. It happens to all of us at some point or another.
"He's been around playing since 16 or 17-years-old. He won the Winmau World Masters at 17. He's been on tour now for 19 years. It takes a lot out of you and he's achieved an awful lot in those 19 years.
"It sounds like I'm talking that now he is done. I'm not talking like that whatsoever. But this year, in the Premier League, has been a real battle for him."
Should MVG be worried about his form?
Sky Sports' Stuart Pyke on Michael van Gerwen's form:
"I think he's generally worried. He needs to relax a little bit more, be a bit more within himself. He puts far too much pressure on himself.
"He's won it [the Premier League] seven times and all those seven years he's finished top of the table, apart from one occasion, but this year he hasn't even won one night."
Where does the Premier League head next?
The Premier League continues at the P&J Live, Aberdeen on Thursday May 15 as Michael van Gerwen takes on Nathan Aspinall in a massive clash, while Luke Littler faces Luke Humphries in a top-of-the-table encounter. Elsewhere, Gerwyn Price will play Stephen Bunting, with Chris Dobey and Rob Cross set to collide in the evening's other quarter-final. Watch Night 15 of Premier League Darts in Aberdeen live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports+ from 7pm - stream with NOW.
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