Michael van Gerwen's search for a first PDC ProTour of the season continues after he was dumped out of the Players Championship Fourteen in Hildesheim in the third round.
The Dutch three-time world champion lost 6-4 to Austria’s Serbian-born Mensur Suljovic, who capitalised on taking a 4-1 lead to advance into the last 16 before losing to Tom Bissell in the quarter-finals.
Wessel Nijman became the first player since his compatriot Van Gerwen in 2016 to win five titles in a year after he crushed Max Hopp 8-1 in the final.
"It’s always good to hold your best game for the final," said Nijman, who averaged 104.62 against Hopp.
"I don’t really care about records, I care more about the form that I’m playing right now.
"It’s always good to have those kind of records in your bag, but it doesn’t give you much more than the form you’re in.
"I just want to be in the top 16 and make as many steps as close to number one as possible by the end of the year."
