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Darts star Michael van Gerwen has admitted he "didn't really want to be" at the upcoming Players Championship finals . The Dutchman currently sits outside the qualifying positions and effectively ruled out his involvement by pulling out of further qualification events. Van Gerwen's form this season hasn't been at its usual high standards, though he was able to end a win drought in September in Amsterdam. His struggles have come against the backdrop of disruption in his personal life, with a split from his wife Daphne hitting the headlines. "The way I have been playing in the ProTours, I didn't really want to be there," Van Gerwen said during the European Championship. "Of course my personal situation, there is a lot of factors that have made this happen. My eyes have to be on the World Championship." The 36-year-old reached the final of the PDC World Championship in January, losing to Luke Littler . He is a three-time winner of the competition, and is committed to putting in another deep run when the 2026 edition begins in December this year. He has been in form in Dortmund during the European Championships, beating Daryl Gurney 10-7 in his quarter-final meeting. He will face Gian van Veen in the semis after the youngster claimed a 10-5 quarter-final victory over Ryan Joyce. Van Gerwen pulled out of the mid-October Players Championship Series event in Wigan, while he has no plans to take part in the final two qualifiers due to a holiday. This leaves him unable to break into the top 64 spots which ensure a place in the finals at Minehead in November. He suffered a shock early exit to Ian White in the 2024 edition, losing 6-1 to the Englishman in the opening round. Despite that elimination, he still has more Players Championship wins than any other player in history with his most recent triumph coming in 2022. The former world champion's latest comments about the Players Championship come after he opened up about his personal life to DartsWorld about his absence. “Everyone knows what has happened and right now, my focus is solely on my children. Obviously, the news about myself and their mother affects them enormously, and it’s vital we both continue to provide love and attention no matter what," he said. “This is a decision that was already in place. I know my fans would like to see me in Minehead, but I assure them I will be back very soon. This has been a tough year and I now need to recharge the batteries ahead of the World Championships. “I owe it to myself, my management, sponsors and also the fans to only perform when I’m fully focused and can give 100% to the game I love. At this moment, my family are what matter most and they will always be the priority, regardless of anything else. “Thank you for your continued words of support on social media. I do see them, and it means a lot. At the end of the day, just because we as professional dart players are in the spotlight, we are first and foremost loving parents.”
