Michael van Gerwen left “sick to stomach” after early exit at the World Series Finals

Michael van Gerwen admits he was left “absolutely sick” after surrendering his World Series of Darts title at the first hurdle in Amsterdam on Thursday.

The six-time champion squandered a 5-3 lead and a staggering six match darts in an eventual last-leg defeat to Daryl Gurney on opening night at the AFAS Live.

The defeat marked MVG’s earliest ever exit in the competition and means he remains without a major singles quarter-final appearance to his name in 2026.

Gurney had romped into a 3-0 lead, following up legs of 11 and 13 darts with a sensational 170 checkout to leave the partisan Dutch crowd stunned.

Van Gerwen came roaring back with a superb five-leg burst to seize control at 5-3, but only to remarkably spurn six match darts in a dramatic penultimate leg, before Gurney completed the turnaround after a disastrous string of scoring visits from his opponent.

“I don’t get it. I came back so well,” an emotional Van Gerwen told Viaplay. “I’m 3-0 down, and I think I throw 13, 13, 14, 15 and 13 darts.

“In the last leg there’s absolutely nothing wrong. I just miss six darts. It makes no sense at all. I’m sick to my stomach.

“That just can’t happen. Especially not that first visit. You’re stuck on double 10 and you’re already making it very hard for yourself. I’m really absolutely gutted. Good grief. Totally unnecessary.”

Van Gerwen, who also suffered an opening match exit in a deciding leg at the Flanders Darts Trophy last weekend, could end the season ranked outside of the world’s top 16.

Currently world number seven, the Dutch icon faces a crucial latter part of the campaign, notably defending £200,000 in prize money from his World Championship final appearance two years ago.

Van Gerwen, who has now lost 13 of his 23 last-leg deciders this year, added: “He starts well, of course. He starts the match fantastically. Then you have to claw your way back and try to arm yourself against that. I definitely did, only to give a match away this easily – that just can’t happen.

“It feels like you’ve already hurt yourself so much. Your balls are on the chopping block at that moment, you know. I just shouldn’t even get into that position, and that’s on me. I’m really absolutely sick about this.”