Darts results: Michael van Gerwen hits a nine-darter in Players Championship Finals against Rob Cross

The Dutchman was the youngest player ever to make one aged 17 back in 2007 and this latest effort 15 years later was incredibly his fourth on the Butlin's Minehead Resort stage.

Van Gerwen, who also hit one here against Cross at the 2016 UK Open during his famous run of 18 perfect darts, had never previously achieved the feat in a major final and went on to back it up with an enthralling 11-6 victory.

The 33-year-old averaged 99.92, threw eight 180s and also weighed in with a tremendous 170 checkout at a key moment to go 8-6 ahead just when Cross was fighting his way back into the contest.

Voltage can be extremely proud of his efforts having averaged 100.33 himself and produced 11 maximums, although he did miss 15 of his 21 darts at doubles as MVG converted 11 of his 22.

Van Gerwen's seventh Players Championship Finals crown, which sees him pocket £100,000, is also his 148th PDC title overall - including 41 on TV - while it also brings up his 10th in a calendar year which has also seen him triumph in the Premier League, World Matchplay and the World Grand Prix.

Afterwards he couldn't hold back the tears as he dedicated his latest success to his daughter Zoe.

He said: "My daughter was watching every game and said 'Daddy, are you coming home with a big trophy again?'.I said if I win the trophy again it's going to be yours, so that's why I wanted to win it.

"I'm here to win tournaments - I love winning, I love performing on the stage and to produce something extra, something special in a final like this, gives me a lot of energy.

"It was a special game of darts - I think we both played well and we had to dig really deep, both of us.

"I managed to hit a nine-darter and 170 finish when it mattered but overall I think Rob Cross played a phenomenal game and the game had everything.

"I know I'm capable of a lot more but you also have to be realistic and to win this trophy again, for the seventh time, means a lot to me."

But his emotional side won't detract from the ominous and fearsome warning shot he's just fired to his rivals ahead of next month's World Darts Championship, for which the draw takes place on Monday afternoon.

Cross, who was appearing in his first televised final for over a year, said: "It's been an amazing weekend but it was Michael's night. Mike was phenomenal.

"Once I started to find my feet and find a few 180s, it could have been a little bit different but I missed chances and missed doubles.

"I really enjoyed this weekend and there are positives to take - I'll move on to the World Championship."

Michael van Gerwen's eight televised nine-darters

Phil Taylor is the only player to have hit more televised nine-darters with 11.

1. v Raymond van Barneveld, 2007 Masters of Darts
2. v Steve Beaton, 2012 World Matchplay
3. v James Wade, 2012 World Championship
4. v Raymond van Barneveld, 2014 European Championship
5. v Rob Cross, 2016 UK Open
6. v Adrian Lewis, 2019 Players Championship Finals
7. v Daryl Gurney, 2020 UK Open
8. v Rob Cross, 2022 Players Championship Finals

Michael van Gerwen: Roll of honour

• 3x World Champion (2014, 2017, 2019)
• 6x Premier League (2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022)
• 3x World Matchplay (2015, 2016, 2022)
• 6x World Grand Prix (2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2022)
• 3x Grand Slam of Darts (2015, 2016, 2017)
• 3x UK Open (2015, 2016, 2020)
• 4x European Championship (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017)
• 5x Masters (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019)
• 7x Players Championship Finals (2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2022)
• 4x World Series of Darts Finals (2015, 2016, 2017, 2019)
• 1x Champions League (2019)
• 3x World Cup winner (2014, 2017, 2018)
• 13x World Series event winner
• 35x European Tour winner
• 33x Players Championship winner
• 16x UK Open qualifier winner
• Gleneagle Irish Masters 2008
• Televised PDC Titles/Finals: 61/82
• Senior Career PDC titles overall: 146
• Titles this season: 10 (TV: 5)

Players Championship Finals: Semi-final round-up

Michael van Gerwen swept aside Luke Humphries 11-5 to book his place in the climax of the Players Championship Finals for an eighth time.

MVG was always in control after opening up a 7-4 lead and averaged 101.59 compared to his opponent's 93.9 and hit five of the seven 180s in the match.

He will meet Cross, who booked his place in a first major final in over a year by defeating Jonny Clayton 11-7.

Voltage beat MVG 11-8 on that occasion in the 2021 European Championship and will need to reproduce such magic if he's to get his hands on this trophy for the first time in his career.

Cross averaged 97.83 compared to Clayton's 93.86, hit six of the eight 180s in the match and also threw a pair of 100+ checkouts including a high of 132.

Players Championship Finals: Quarter-final round-up

Michael van Gerwen continued his bid for a seventh Players Championship Finals title after overcoming UK Open champion Danny Noppert in an all-Dutch affair.

Following eight consecutive holds, MVG struck the first blow with a 12-dart break, and he defied a late rally from his compatriot to close out a 10-7 victory with a 100 average and six 180s.

He will now play Luke Humphries, who crushed Masters champion Joe Cullen 10-3.

Cool Hand registered his third consecutive ton-plus average of the weekend to make it back-to-back televised semi-finals, averaging 102 and pinning 10 of his 16 attempts at double to dispatch Cullen.

Jonny Clayton breezed into the semi-finals with a comprehensive 10-3 success against Callan Rydz, to set up a repeat of the 2017 semi-finals against fifth seed Rob Cross.

Clayton punished a profligate display from Rydz to secure a place in his first televised ranking semi-final of 2022, averaging 96 and landing five 180s en route to victory.

Cross, meanwhile, produced an imperious performance to defeat Dirk van Duijvenbode by the same 10-3 scoreline, averaging 104 and converting 64% of his attempts at double.

Van Duijvenbode came into Sunday’s action fresh from producing a record-breaking 112 average in his deciding-leg win over Ryan Searle, but he was unable to replicate that performance against a clinical Cross.

Players Championship Finals: Round-by-round results

Seedings in brackets

FINAL

• (5) Rob Cross 6-11 Michael van Gerwen (22)

SEMI-FINALS

• (24) Jonny Clayton 7-11 Rob Cross (5)
• (2) Luke Humphries 5-11 Michael van Gerwen (22)

QUARTER-FINALS

• (32) Callan Rydz 3-10 Jonny Clayton (24)
• (4) Dirk van Duijvenbode 3-10 Rob Cross (5)
• (2) Luke Humphries 10-3 Joe Cullen (10)
• (14) Danny Noppert 7-10 Michael van Gerwen (22)

ROUND THREE

• (32) Callan Rydz 10-8 Keane Barry (48)
• (57) Ryan Joyce 3-10 Jonny Clayton (24)
• (4) Dirk van Duijvenbode 10-9 Ryan Searle (13)
• (5) Rob Cross 10-6 Martin Schindler (12)
• (2) Luke Humphries 10-7 Krzysztof Ratajski (15)
• (26) Scott Williams 7-10 Joe Cullen (10)
• (30) Matt Campbell 9-10 Danny Noppert (14)
• (27) Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-10 Michael van Gerwen (22)

ROUND TWO

• (64) Ricardo Pietreczko 3-6 Callan Rydz (32)
• (16) Andrew Gilding 5-6 Keane Barry (48)
• (57) Ryan Joyce 6-3 Jermaine Wattimena (40)
• (56) Ross Smith 5-6 Jonny Clayton (24)
• (4) Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-1 Daryl Gurney (29)
• (13) Ryan Searle 6-1 Jamie Hughes (45)
• (5) Rob Cross 6-5 Gary Anderson (37)
• (12) Martin Schindler 6-5 Chris Dobey (21)
• (2) Luke Humphries 6-4 Mike De Decker (34)
• (15) Krzysztof Ratajski 6-1 Jose de Sousa (18)
• (7) Dave Chisnall 4-6 Scott Williams (26)
• (10) Joe Cullen 6-1 Kim Huybrechts (23)
• (62) Martijn Kleermaker 4-6 Matt Campbell (30)
• (14) Danny Noppert 6-1 James Wade (19)
• (59) Ritchie Edhouse 5-6 Dimitri Van den Bergh (27)
• (54) Cameron Menzies 4-6 Michael van Gerwen (22)

ROUND ONE

• (1) Damon Heta 5-6 Ricardo Pietreczko (64)
• (32) Callan Rydz 6-5 Madars Razma (33)
• (16) Andrew Gilding 6-2 Ricky Evans (49)
• (17) Adrian Lewis 4-6 Keane Barry (48)
• (8) Gerwyn Price 5-6 Ryan Joyce (57)
• (25) Brendan Dolan 3-6 Jermaine Wattimena (40)
• Gian van Veen * 3-6 Ross Smith (56)
• (24) Jonny Clayton 6-0 John O'Shea (41)
• (4) Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-5 Mickey Mansell (61)
• (29) Daryl Gurney 6-3 Keegan Brown (36)
• (13) Ryan Searle 6-4 Mervyn King (52)
• (20) Stephen Bunting 4-6 Jamie Hughes (45)
• (5) Rob Cross 6-3 Kevin Doets (60)
• (28) Gabriel Clemens 4-6 Gary Anderson (37)
• (12) Martin Schindler 6-4 Vincent van der Voort (53)
• (21) Chris Dobey 6-1 Geert Nentjes (44)
• (2) Luke Humphries 6-3 Nathan Rafferty (63)
• (31) Jim Williams 4-6 Mike De Decker (34)
• (15) Krzysztof Ratajski 6-4 William O'Connor (50)
• (18) Jose de Sousa 6-2 Danny Jansen (47)
• (7) Dave Chisnall 6-3 Niels Zonneveld (58)
• (26) Scott Williams 6-4 Alan Soutar (39)
• (10) Joe Cullen 6-2 Rowby-John Rodriguez (55)
• (23) Kim Huybrechts 6-4 Raymond van Barneveld (42)
• (3) Nathan Aspinall 4-6 Martijn Kleermaker (62)
• (30) Matt Campbell 6-3 Steve Beaton (35)
• (14) Danny Noppert 6-1 Simon Whitlock (51)
• (19) James Wade 6-2 Mensur Suljovic (46)
• (6) Michael Smith 5-6 Ritchie Edhouse (59)
• (27) Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-5 Martin Lukeman (38)
• (11) Josh Rock 3-6 Cameron Menzies (54)
• (22) Michael van Gerwen 6-3 Ryan Meikle (43)

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