DARTS star Michael van Gerwen is set to pull out of the Swiss Darts Trophy in Basel next week, according to ex-player Vincent van der Voort.
The three-time world champion won’t appear in Switzerland, which forms part of the Euro Tour calendar.
Michael van Gerwen is set to miss the Swiss Darts Trophy next week[/caption]
The Dutchman – who won the World Series of Darts Finals earlier this month – has already qualified for October’s European Championship.
However, he is still a long way off qualification for the Players Championship in Minehead.
Only the top 64 in the Players Championship order of merit will qualify for the November tournament – and Van Gerwen is currently ranked 103.
Close friend Van der Voort has revealed Players Championship events will now be his focus, which means other events must take a backseat which is why he will pull out of the Swiss tournament.
Van Gerwen has only managed to win £10,500 in prize money from Players Championship tournaments so far this season and must at least double that total to make the top 64.
His next opportunity will be at the Leicester event next weekend and Van der Voor said he must produce “rock-solid performances”.
Speaking to the Darts Draait Door podcast, he said: “That’s where the focus is now. In those five more tournaments he is going to play, he has to make up that 10,000 pounds. Everything will have to give way for that.
“With that intention he has to go (next week) to those three Pro Tours as well. Not that it’s ‘just’ a floor tournament.
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“There must be rock-solid performances now. So you can’t be satisfied if you haven’t almost made up that 10,000-pound deficit already.”
Van Gerwen was beaten by Callan Rydz in his last Players Championship outing earlier this month.
He then bounced back by winning the World Series of Darts final against Luke Littler.
But he was critical of himself at the Hungarian Darts Trophy this week, despite beating Matthew Dennant 6-2 in his opening game.
He said: “When you’re playing c*** you have to face yourself.
“When things aren’t good you always have to be honest, and I’m an honest guy.
“Especially when you want to play well and then you don’t, it gets harder.
“You’re frustrated for no reason because there was no reason to panic or to be miserable with myself, do you know what I mean?
“But this wasn’t a good performance. Simple as that. I think this crowd deserved more.”
Van Gerwen would go on to lose 6-5 to compatriot Danny Noppert in the next round.
