Michael van Gerwen has released a statement after withdrawing from a darts tournament just under 48 hours after his Premier League elimination.
Van Gerwen's 6-3 quarter-final defeat to Nathan Aspinall on Thursday meant that he failed to qualify for Premier League Finals Night for the first time since 2020.
Speaking after the match, Aspinall said he felt like the Dutchman was 'giving up' on the stage.
And Van Gerwen's close friend Vincent van der Voort told AD: "I don't see someone who wants to win at all costs. Littler and Humphries are really not better, but at the moment they are. He should not accept that."
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Now, the three-time world champion has withdrawn from this weekend's Elden Safety Shoes Dutch Darts Championship.
He was due to take on Mickey Mansell in round one of the tournament on Saturday evening. Mansell has been given a bye.
In a statement following the PDC's announcement, Van Gerwen announced that he and his wife Daphne have decided to separate.
The Dutchman added that he has decided to withdraw from upcoming tournaments as a result.
He wrote: "It is with great sadness that I announce that Daphne and I have decided to end our relationship.
"As a result I have decided to withdraw from the upcoming tournaments.
"I am sorry to disappoint my fans, but I trust that they will understand my decision.
"We are facing a difficult time and ask everyone to respect our privacy during this period."
Despite being set to miss the upcoming events, Van Gerwen will remain in third place in the PDC's Order of Merit, behind Littler and Humphries.
He reached the final of 2025 World Darts Championship but lost 7-3 to Littler.
The Dutch Darts Championship is featuring most of darts' top stars, though Littler, Aspinall, Rob Cross, Gerwyn Price and Gary Anderson have all opted not to compete in Rosmalen.
Topics: Michael van Gerwen, Darts
Ryan Smart