Michael van Gerwen holds off Nathan Aspinall comeback to win World Grand Prix
The Dutchman had raced into a 4-0 lead in the first-to-five final.
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Michael van Gerwen held off a storming comeback by Nathan Aspinall to claim a sixth World Grand Prix title.
The Dutchman looked like making short work of Aspinall as he raced into a 4-0 lead in the first-to-five final in Leicester.
But Aspinall, playing his first major title since 2020, threatened one of the greatest comebacks in the tournament’s history as he reeled off three successive sets and had the darts to level at 4-4.
However, Van Gerwen managed to regroup and stumbled over the line with a 5-3 victory to continue his domination of 2022, having already won the Premier League and the World Matchplay titles.
He averaged 91 and had two 100-plus finishes as he added the 2022 edition of the tournament to his 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2019 crowns.
Aspinall, who beat world number one Gerwyn Price in the semi-finals, put up a sterling show of resilience, but ultimately suffered disappointment in his first major final since 2020.
Van Gerwen was the overwhelming favourite to triumph in the tournament, which requires each leg to start with a double before scoring can start, after his destruction of world champion Peter Wright in Saturday’s semi-final.
And the tone was set in the first leg of the best-of-nine contest as Van Gerwen posted a 116 check out.
That form continued as he surged into a 4-0 lead, putting one hand on the trophy.
But Aspinall was not ready to give in and he fought back in style. At first it looked like it was just a consolation, but he soon gained the momentum and increased his scoring.
Van Gerwen’s level dropped and Aspinall, the world number 11, brought it back to 4-3 and had the darts in hand to level at 4-4.
But the world number three regained his composure and got the better of a topsy-turvy eighth set to claim the glory.