Van Gerwen produces phenomenal comeback to win World Grand Prix

Michael van Gerwen

Michael van Gerwen won five sets in a row as he superbly came from 4-1 down to beat Mervyn King 6-4 and triumph at the World Grand Prix.

The Dutchman has landed his first ever major title on the PDC, but it looked as though he wasn’t going to get his hands on the trophy when he found himself 4-1 down, as King was playing brilliantly, having also won the first three sets as well.

However, Van Gerwen turned on the style, going on a run of winning 15 out of 18 legs to win the trophy, and with it the first prize of £100,000 in his back pocket to take home with him as well.

Van Gerwen was installed as the favourite for the title earlier in the week when he knocked out world champion Adrian Lewis, but he began the match off poorly, as King as he had been all week started like a house on fire.

King, an experienced campaigner playing in his ninth major final, and searching for his first PDC title as well, won the first three sets, reducing Van Gerwen to only three legs, as top checkouts of 102 and 152 put him in command.

Van Gerwen got himself on the board to take the fourth set, but should have gone to within one of King at 3-2. However, he missed six darts to do so, and a relieved King moved 4-1 in front.

Cue the comeback.

As the crowd were fully on Van Gerwen’s side, they began to get to King’s head, who was now starting to lose concentration, and the pendulum was swinging Van Gerwen’s way.

The 23-year-old took six straight legs to take the next two sets in quick-time, and the pressure was fully on King, as he could do nothing to stop Van Gerwen from levelling the match at 4-4.

King won the first two legs in the ninth set, but Van Gerwen fought back to take that, and lead for the first time in the final. He sealed victory in front of a rocking Citywest Hotel crowd in Dublin with a fine 145 checkout.

“It's the best day of my life,” said Van Gerwen, who will now move up to eighth in the PDC world rankings, and with it may well have booked his place in next year’s Premier League.

“Mervyn was fantastic at the beginning of the game and I couldn't concentrate but he gave me some chances and I started finishing better. I'm not a person who gives up so this feels very good for me - I'm so happy to have won.”

İsmail Vedat

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