MVG claims fifth European Tour title of the year and 21st of career
Tuesday 12 June 2018 14:08, UK
Michael van Gerwen produced yet another sensational display to beat a resurgent Adrian Lewis to regain the Gibraltar Darts Trophy.
The world no 1's domination this year shows no sign of letting up and his 8-3 victory over Jackpot means he now has 13 titles this year, including the Masters, Premier League and World Cup of Darts crowns.
A tournament average of 104 was too good for the field and in the final, he recorded a 108 average to end Lewis' hopes of another victory.
Van Gerwen claimed the £25,000 winner's cheque thanks to wins over Vincent van der Voort in Saturday's second round before Andy Boulton, Jonny Clayton and Steve West were beaten en route to the final and a fourth European Tour title in succession.
"For me to win a game like this gives me even more confidence, I'm really happy with my performance," said Van Gerwen, who has lost just one game on the European Tour this year.
"I think I played a phenomenal game in the final and I think I have earned my holiday, I want to relax now and re-charge my batteries for the events coming up.
"The crowd deserved a good performance from me and I am happy that I was able to play well all weekend.
"I had to play well in the final because I know what Adrian is capable of - he is always dangerous and is one of the best players in the world, and it's good to see him doing well again."
Lewis' run to the final was his best run in a European Tour event since his victory at the 2012 German Darts Masters and had to do things the hard way.
Starting in Friday's first round he beat Gibraltar's Clayton Otton 6-0 before beating major winners Mensur Suljovic, James Wade and Peter Wright on route to the last four where he beat Paul Nicholson to reach his third ranking final of the year.
Wade pushed Lewis all the way in a cracking third round encounter where both men averaged in excess of 105 as Lewis won 6-5 and Nicholson, in his first PDC ranking semi-final for five years, took the two-time world champion all the way before Jackpot prevailed 7-6.
Michael Smith was the defending champion in Gibraltar but the Premier League runner-up was beaten by Jermaine Wattimena in the second round while world champion Rob Cross continues his search for a first title of the year after a 6-5 quarter-final defeat by Steve West.
Finals Day Results
Final
Michael van Gerwen 8-3 Adrian Lewis
Semi-Finals
Michael van Gerwen 7-4 West
Adrian Lewis 7-6 Paul Nicholson
Quarter-Finals
Michael van Gerwen 6-2 Jonny Clayton
Steve West 6-5 Rob Cross
Paul Nicholson 6-5 Gerwyn Price
Adrian Lewis 6-3 Peter Wright
Darts is back on your screens on Sky Sports in July for the World Matchplay - nine days of tungsten from Blackpool get underway on Saturday, July 21 and will run through to the final on Sunday, July 29
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