Less than a week after securing his first Players Championship title of the season, Michael van Gerwen doubled up on Saturday.
Van Gerwen beat Martin Schindler 8-4 last Sunday and repeated that scoreline to get the better of Peter Wright to continue what's been a significant return to form.
If last week's average made it a statistically better performance, the nature of this win will surely mean more to the former world number one, who responded to losing the first four legs of the final by taking the next eight.
It was a sustained and impressive burst from a revived MVG, who was behind Wright in three-dart average, 180s and checkout percentage, yet made the key darts count.
Van Gerwen earlier had to come through final-leg deciders to beat Adrian Lewis and Jose de Sousa, averaging 100 against the latter but forced to break throw at the death to reach the final.
Those exertions appeared to have taken their toll when Wright took the first four legs in 14, 11, 14 and 13 darts respectively, but van Gerwen bossed the next five to turn the match on its head.
Wright then missed bullseye for a 170 finish which allowed van Gerwen to step in and break for a 6-4 lead, before taking out 66 in two darts to move within one of victory.
Throwing to stay in the match, Wright opened the door with an erratic start to the 12th leg but still had two darts to hold, missing both as van Gerwen stepped in for another smart, two-dart finish, and another piece of silverware.
"It was a tough day, I had to work really hard but eventually it paid out and when I got going I think I played some good darts," said van Gerwen.
"I know Peter, and when he's throwing relaxed he's a phenomenal player and we all know that, but when you put him under pressure and you get your chances, you have to take them.
"You have to survive game by game - there are so many good darts players here on the tour and you have to beat them all. It's not easy, but I managed to do it today.
"This is a third title of this year - I've won more tournaments already than I did all last year altogether, so that's a good thing."
Players Championship 10 results
Last 16
- Jeff Smith 6-5 Darius Labanauskas
- Damon Heta 6-3 Dimitri Van den Bergh
- Peter Wright 6-4 Keegan Brown
- Nathan Aspinall 6-2 Gabriel Clemens
- Michael van Gerwen 6-3 Brendan Dolan
- Adrian Lewis 6-2 Ross Smith
- Jose de Sousa 6-5 Stephen Bunting
- Luke Humphries 6-3 Joe Cullen
Quarter-finals
- Damon Heta 6-3 Jeff Smith
- Peter Wright 6-5 Nathan Aspinall
- Michael van Gerwen 6-5 Adrian Lewis
- Jose de Sousa 6-5 Luke Humphries
Semi-finals
- Peter Wright 7-3 Damon Heta
- Michael van Gerwen 7-6 Jose de Sousa
Final
- Michael van Gerwen 8-4 Peter Wright
Fast Results
Scores
