World Grand Prix darts final: Leg-by-leg report and highlights from Michael van Gerwen 5-2 Dave Chisnall

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MICHAEL VAN GERWEN BEATS DAVE CHISNALL 5-2 IN THE WORLD GRAND PRIX FINAL

Michael van Gerwen once again has a major trophy in his hands as he bags his fifth World Grand Prix title and his 36 individual major of a truly astonishing career that knows no boundaries.

In total he now has 50 televised crowns if you include his three World Cups for Netherlands while his overall career tally of PDC tournament triumphs reaches 127!

After lifting the trophy yet again and pocketing £110,000, the Dutchman said: "It means a lot to me and I'm really pleased with this victory. It's been a phenomenal week for me and I played really well, and it was a really good performance in the final because Dave put me under pressure. This was some of the best darts I've seen from Dave and he never gave in.

"He had a great tournament and he played really well and pushed me, but every time in the important moments I did the right thing - and I think going 3-1 up was a big moment. I feel good and I want to keep this form going now into the big tournaments we have coming up."

But it's more heartbreak for Dave Chisnall who remains one of the best players never to have won a major after a fifth defeat in a final although he must take a lot of heart from a superb performance to end a wonderful week that proved he's a big-time player once again.

There's no way anyone can say he bottled it - he played to as high a standard as he's done all week and his 12 maximums helped him average an impressive 93.32.

Chisnall said: "It's been a positive week and I've played well so I'm proud. When you go 4-1 down against Michael van Gerwen it's going to be tough but I never gave in.

"It was a game of fine margins and I missed crucial doubles in a couple of legs, but that's darts. He punished me and it's my own fault, but I will work on it.

"I've had a great tournament and the atmosphere during the final was fantastic, the crowd gave us both great support. I did better than in 2013 and I'm proud of myself."

His display tonight would probably have been enough to beat anyone else but ultimately he found MVG in rampant mood, just like in nearly all of their previous 59 contests.

The three-time world champion has now defeated Chizzy 48 times while the St Helens man's winless run now extends to 27 games, with his best result in that time being a Premier League draw. His only victory over him in 31 televised meetings is the 2013 World Grand Prix.

Michael van Gerwen 5-2 Dave Chisnall: Final Stats

Averages

• MVG: 94.87
• Chisnall: 93.32

180s

• MVG: 4
• Chisnall: 12

Starting Doubles

• MVG: 48 missed and eight visits of no score
• Chisnall: 37 missed and seven visits of no score

Finishing Doubles

• MVG: 18/35 (51.43%)
• Chisnall: 13/28 (46.43%)

Highest Checkouts

• MVG: 114
• Chisnall: 101

SET SEVEN SCORE: Van Gerwen 3-2 Chisnall
MATCH SCORE: Van Gerwen 5-2 Chisnall (Best of 9 sets)

• Leg Five
  Michael van Gerwen wins the World Grand Prix title for a fifth time - and the second in a row - after edging the deciding leg of the seventh set. Chizzy responded to MVG's opening visit of 100 with a no score and that proved costly, as the Dutchman went on to complete a 16-darter on double six.
  MVG 3-2 Chisnall
• Leg Four
  Chisnall makes MVG serve out for the match after holding his throw in 15 darts with help from his 13th 180, which followed straight after the Dutchman's fourth! What a great game of darts this is.
  MVG 2-2 Chisnall
• Leg Three
  MVG is one leg away from glory after a brilliant 14-darter is completed with a 100 checkout following back-to-back visits of 99. Is there any way back for Chizzy?
  MVG 2-1 Chisnall
• Leg Two
  Chizzy's 11th maximum of the match is followed by MVG's third but it's the St Helens man who takes the leg in 16 darts with a cool finish from 68, with his opponent waiting on 68.
  MVG 1-1 Chisnall
• Leg One, MVG to throw first
  A relatively straightforward 18-dart hold for the Dutchman to open this set - thanks largely to Chizzy failing to get away with his opening visit.
  MVG 1-0 Chisnall

SET SIX SCORE: Van Gerwen 2-3 Chisnall
MATCH SCORE: Van Gerwen 4-2 Chisnall (Best of 9 sets)

• Leg Five
  Chizzy stays alive in this World Grand Prix final when he makes his ninth and 10th 180s of the match in successive visits count by pinning double 16 for a 13-darter. He averaged 104 in that set but he'll need to keep this up to pull off a herculean comeback. There's no interval so into the seventh set we go...
  MVG 2-3 Chisnall
• Leg Four
  Strong opening visits of 157 and 140 put MVG well on his way to an easy hold in 15 darts and he's now one leg away from the title.
  MVG 2-2 Chisnall
• Leg Three
  There's nothing wrong with Chizzy's scoring tonight as he fires in his eighth maximum of the match en route to a 13-darter that was finished on tops after he opted hit single 10 instead of going for a showstopping bullseye to seal a 170 checkout at the previous visit.
  MVG 1-2 Chisnall
• Leg Two
  Chisnall looked like he was about to make MVG pay for failure to hit a starting double with his first visit by rattling in scores of 140, 135 and 113 but under pressure from the Dutchman, he can't take out 48 and loses the leg.
  MVG 1-1 Chisnall
• Leg One, Chisnall to throw first
  Chizzy keeps his flickering hopes alive with a seventh 180 in a leg in which scores of 140 and 137 help him to an impressive 13-dart leg. If he'd been playing anyone else tonight, he'd be winning.
  MVG 0-1 Chisnall

Michael van Gerwen 4-1 Dave Chisnall: Fourth interval stats

Sky Bet latest odds: MVG is now 1/200 to get the one set he needs for victory while Dave Chisnall is well out to 25/1 to pull off a huge comeback. .

Averages

• MVG: 96.07
• Chisnall: 90.64

180s

• MVG: 2
• Chisnall: 6

Doubles

• MVG: 14/29 (48.28%)
• Chisnall: 8/19 (42.11%)

Highest Checkouts

• MVG: 114
• Chisnall: 101

SET FIVE SCORE: Van Gerwen 3-1 Chisnall
MATCH SCORE: Van Gerwen 4-1 Chisnall (Best of 9 sets)

• Leg Four
  This is so disappointing for Chizzy and his army of supporters. Not only does he face the best players in all his televised finals - Phil Taylor twice and MVG four times - but they hardly put a foot wrong. And when they do, like in this leg, he fails to with two darts from 16 and is duly punished by MVG, who completes a sloppy 20-darter for the set.
  MVG 3-1 Chisnall
• Leg Three
  MVG no scores his first visit but bounces back emphatically with the help of scores of 90, 100, 170 and 121 before pinning double seven for a 16-darter, with Chizzy waiting on 87.
  MVG 2-1 Chisnall
• Leg Two
  Chizzy is certainly not playing badly at all, so don't mistake the scoreline for a final chock job whatsoever. Three ton+ visits at the start of the leg and a further score of 55 sets him up with a checkout of 86, which he takes for a 15-darter.
  MVG 1-1 Chisnall
• Leg One, MVG to throw first
  Van Gerwen blasts out of the blocks after the interval with an opening visit of 160 and a later score of 139 leaves 70, which he takes out in two for a fine 14-darter.
  MVG 1-0 Chisnall

Michael van Gerwen 3-1 Dave Chisnall: Third interval stats

Sky Bet latest odds: MVG is now 1/50 to win his fifth World Grand Prix while Dave Chisnall is well out to 14/1 to claim his first. .

Averages

• MVG: 96.69
• Chisnall: 93.31

180s

• MVG: 2
• Chisnall: 6

Doubles

• MVG: 11/25 (44%)
• Chisnall: 7/15 (46.67%)

Highest Checkouts

• MVG: 114
• Chisnall: 101

SET FOUR SCORE: Van Gerwen 3-2 Chisnall
MATCH SCORE: Van Gerwen 3-1 Chisnall (Best of 9 sets)

• Leg Four
  Agonising for the 'best player never to have won a major' has he fails to find a starting double with his first visit as MVG races clear with two 130+ visits to leave 40. Chizzy poses the question by nailing a sixth 180 to leave 73 but van Gerwen takes out tops at the first attempt for a 13-darter.
  MVG 2-2 Chisnall
• Leg Four
  Both players trade maximums in a thrilling leg of darts but MVG fails to finish from 25 for a 15-darter having previously missed the bullseye for a 100 checkout and Chizzy makes him pay to force a decider, in which he'll throw first.
  MVG 2-2 Chisnall
• Leg Three
  Chizzy follows up an opening 160 with his fourth 180 of the match to raise excitement of the first nine-darter here since 2014 but he falls short on his eighth dart before sealing an 11-darter from 64.
  MVG 2-1 Chisnall

• Leg Two
  Almost unstoppable from MVG as visits of 120, 133 and 134 pave the way for a brilliant 12-darter that he finished off in style with a 114 checkout.
  MVG 2-0 Chisnall
• Leg One, Chisnall to throw first
  Is van Gerwen starting to turn the screw in this final? Despite Chizzy getting away first time with a score of 96, MVG soon overhauls him with big visits of 140 and 174 on his way to a 15-darter - although he was aided by his opponent missing two darts from 40.
  MVG 1-0 Chisnall

SET THREE SCORE: Van Gerwen 3-2 Chisnall
MATCH SCORE: Van Gerwen 2-1 Chisnall (Best of 9 sets)

• Leg Five
  Van Gerwen gets his nose in front as two 130+ visits help him on his way to a 15-dart hold of throw which he sealed with the highest checkout of the match of 111. No interval after this set so we head straight into the fourth.
  MVG 3-2 Chisnall
• Leg Four
  Another deciding leg is needed to settle the third set as MVG claims the fourth successive break of throw in this match. Chizzy was unable to earn a shot at a double from 102 and the defending champion, who is seeking a fifth Dublin crown, punished him from 61 to tidy up a 14-darter.
  MVG 2-2 Chisnall
• Leg Three
  The St Helens man gathers his composure to seal another break of throw by pinning double 10 with his last dart in hand for a 15-darter. It was under real pressure too as MVG waited on 35.
  MVG 1-2 Chisnall
• Leg Two
  Chizzy fails to capitalise on the break by missing three darts at doubles at the end of a sloppy leg before a pumped up MVG finishes at the fourth attempt for a set levelling 18-darter.
  MVG 1-1 Chisnall
• Leg One, MVG to throw first
  Van Gerwen misses six successive darts at a starting double and Chizzy makes him pay - despite not getting away first time - with a third maximum en route to a 16-darter to break the throw.
  MVG 0-1 Chisnall

Michael van Gerwen 1-1 Dave Chisnall: Second interval stats

Sky Bet latest odds: MVG is still favourite but his odds have drifted slightly to 1/5 while the fast improving Chizzy is 7/2 from 5/1. .

Averages

• MVG: 96.32
• Chisnall: 90.4

180s

• MVG: 0
• Chisnall: 2

Doubles

• MVG: 5/10 (50%)
• Chisnall: 3/5 (60.00%)

Highest Checkouts

• MVG: 58
• Chisnall: 101

SET TWO SCORE: Van Gerwen 2-3 Chisnall
MATCH SCORE: Van Gerwen 1-1 Chisnall (Best of 9 sets)

• Leg Five
  Throwing for the set, Chizzy fails to get away with his first visit but is hardly punished by MVG's throw of 56. A second 180 of the match puts the St Helens thrower in control before another score of 101 sets up a fine 101 checkout. The crowd erupt because now we have a final on our hands. They'll be no repeat of the whitewash defeat Chizzy suffered at the hands of Phil Taylor here six years ago.
  MVG 2-3 Chisnall
• Leg Four
  MVG takes the second set to a crucial decider with a 13-darter under little pressure, with Chizzy back on 206.
  MVG 2-2 Chisnall
• Leg Three
  Chizzy is definitely playing a hell of a lot better in this second set, averaging over 100 as he edges 2-1 ahead with a 15-darter thanks to three 100+ visits.
  MVG 1-2 Chisnall
• Leg Two
  MVG supremely returns the favour with visits of 160, 136 and 60 before just missing double 14 for a 145 checkout - but he cleans up at his next visit for a 13-darter, with Chizzy waiting on 61.
  MVG 1-1 Chisnall
• Leg One, Chisnall to throw first
  Chisnall settles the nerves somewhat by finally getting a leg on the board in his fifth major final and his second on this stage. It was an impressive 13-darter too that started with an opening visit of 160.
  MVG 0-1 Chisnall

Michael van Gerwen 1-0 Dave Chisnall: First interval stats

Sky Bet latest odds: MVG is hot favourite now at 1/8 after that first set while Dave Chisnall is out to 5/1 to bag his first major title,. .

Averages

• MVG: 90.18
• Chisnall: 75.18

180s

• MVG: 0
• Chisnall: 1

Doubles

• MVG: 3/6 (50%)
• Chisnall: 0/0 (00.00%)

Highest Checkouts

• MVG: 58
• Chisnall: N/A

SET ONE SCORE: Van Gerwen 3-0 Chisnall
MATCH SCORE: Van Gerwen 1-0 Chisnall (Best of 9 sets)

• Leg Three
  Well that opening set was short and sweet as the world champion races through the third leg in 17 darts despite missing his opening three darts at a starting double for the second time in the set.
  MVG 3-0 Chisnall
• Leg Two
  The defending champion takes early control of this contest as a 58 checkout completes a 15-dart break of throw, with Chizzy way back on 222 having failed to get away with his first visit.
  MVG 2-0 Chisnall
• Leg One, MVG to throw first
  MVG fails to hit a starting double at his first visit but Chizzy only gets away with his third dart and the Dutchman responds to take the opening leg in 18 darts.
  MVG 1-0 Chisnall

2010: The wait is nearly over as the players make their way to the stage at the Citywest Convention Centre.

1955: So who are you backing to lift the prestigious trophy tonight? Will it be MVG's 36th PDC major or Chizzy's first? Obviously I'm rooting for Chisnall having tipped him at 50/1 each-way pre-tournament but I've tried to put that bias to one side in my preview of tonight's final. Click here to read my prediction.

1915: Finally, before we take a break before the players get on the oche at the Citywest Convention Centre around 8pm, let's take a look at the head-to-head record, which is pretty grim for Dave Chisnall fans.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

• Overall: 47-9 (2 draws)
• 2019 Meetings: 4-0 (On TV: 1-0)
• TV Meetings: 27-1 (2 draws)

We've already mentioned how Van Gerwen is the man responsible for beating him in two of his four major finals at the (11-6) and (11-3), but at least Chizzy has a crumb of comfort knowing that his only televised victory over the Dutchman came here on this stage at the 2013 World Grand Prix quarter-final.

Worryingly, his last win of any kind game back in February 2016. They have played 26 times since then, with Chisnall's best result being a draw.

And the less said about their record on TV - which includes all majors, Premier League meetings and those World Series of Darts tournaments around the world - the better!

1850: For those of you who love the stats, these might make interesting reading from this year's World Grand Prix. Michael van Gerwen's are listed on the left...

• Tournament Average: 91.44 - 90.12
• Best Average: 94.79 (v De Zwaan) - 92.50 (v Price)
• Tournament 180s: 10 - 18
• Starting Doubles Missed: 92 in 59 legs - 103 in 64 legs
• Number of no score opening visits: 19 (6, 6, 5 & 2) - 19 (6, 4, 2 & 7)
• Checkout %: 42.86% (39/91) - 44.44% (40/90)
• High Checkout: 170 - 170
• Ton+ Checkouts: 6 - 10

As you can see, the averages are pretty similar and both have managed 90+ in three of their four matches which highlights how their scoring consistency - as well as their clinical finishing at the end of legs - has somewhat overcome any difficulties getting away. Not that they've overly struggled in that area of the game, although MVG has fared better than Chizzy, who ruined the overall look of his double-in stats against Durrant with seven visits of no scoring.

1835: Moving onto Chizzy's route to his second World Grand Prix final...

• First round: 2-1 Gerwyn Price (2-3, 3-0, 3-2): Average: 92.5
• Second round: 3-0 Stephen Bunting (3-2, 3-1, 3-0) Average: 86.35
• Quarter-finals: 3-1 Nathan Aspinall (3-2, 3-1, 2-3, 3-1) Average: 90
• Semi-finals: 4-1 Glen Durrant (3-0, 0-3, 3-2, 3-2, 3-2) Average: 91.17

Chizzy has been playing brilliantly all week and if anything it's been his opponents suffering from jitters at the key moments rather than himself. After somewhat undeservedly dragging himself into a situation when he was throwing for the match, Gerwyn Price failed in three visits to get away as he gifted the deciding leg to Chisnall in round one while Stephen Bunting was never at the races in the St Helens derby and Nathan Aspinall was unable to apply pressure in a fourth set having punished him for two missed match darts in the third. Chizzy then held his nerve in three successive deciding legs to defeat three-time BDO world champion Glen Durrant last night, with the help of a 170 checkout.

1830: Let's take a look at how both players got here, starting with Michael van Gerwen. Just click on the round if you want to read a report from the night to refresh your mind on what happened...

• First round: 2-1 Jamie Hughes (2-3, 3-1, 3-1) Average: 84.59
• Second round: 3-0 Jeffrey De Zwaan (3-0, 3-1, 3-1) Average: 94.79
• Quarter-finals: 3-1 Mervyn King (3-2, 1-3, 3-1, 3-2) Average: 94.64
• Semi-finals: 4-0 Chris Dobey (3-1, 3-2, 3-2, 3-0) Average: 91.41

The defending champion could so easily have fallen at the first hurdle for the second time in three years against the dangerous Jamie Hughes but after surviving that test in three sets, he overcame two players who had shocked him at majors over the past couple of seasons. He demolished Jeffrey de Zwaan 3-0 in the second round before edging out Mervyn King in a thrilling quarter-final which saw both players hit 170 checkouts. In the last four he was far too strong for Chris Dobey, who spurned a some crucial darts in his first appearance in a major semi-final.

1820: Before getting onto the routes to the finals, here's a look at both players' title hauls...

Head-to-head comparison (Individual events only, MVG first)

• PDC Titles this season: 10-3
• Majors Titles this season: 2-0
• All TV Titles this season: 4-0
• Career PDC Titles: 123-16
• Major PDC Titles: 35-0
• All Televised PDC titles: 46-0

Van Gerwen

• Career highlights: 3x World Champion (2014, 2017, 2019), 2x World Matchplay champion (2015, 2016), 5x Premier League champion (2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019), 4x World Grand Prix champion (2012, 2014, 2016, 2018), 2x UK Open champion (2015, 2016), 3x Grand Slam of Darts champion (2015, 2016, 2017), 4x European champion (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017), 5x Masters champion (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019), 4x Players Championship Finals champion ( 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017), 3x World Series of Darts champion (2015, 2016, 2017), 3x World Cup winner (2014, 2017, 2018), a total of 49 televised PDC titles & over 50 other PDC titles!

Chisnall

• Career highlights: 15x PDC titles, including two on the European Tour. Runner-up in four majors (2013 World Grand Prix, 2014 Grand Slam of Darts, (11-6) and ), and a five-time major semi-finalist. Also runner-up in two televised World Series of Darts event in Perth 2016 and Shanghai 2017.

1815: Good evening and welcome to our live blog from what could be a highly emotional finale of what has typically been another dramatic week of World Grand Prix darts.

In one corner we have the defending champion Michael van Gerwen, who is chasing a fifth Dublin crown and a 36th individual major trophy of a truly astonishing career.

In the other is a resurgent, 'new' Dave Chisnall, who goes in search of his maiden major title in his fifth final and second in Dublin, six long years after his first.

On that occasion he was battered 6-0 by Phil Taylor and went on to finish runner-up in the 2014 Grand Slam of Darts, again to the Power (16-13) before van Gerwen got the better of him at the (11-6) and (11-3).

His other two televised finals, though not counted as 'majors', also resulted in heavy defeats to MVG - 11-4 in the and 8-0 in the  - so success tonight would come has a huge crowd-pleasing moment.

No darts fan around the world would deny Chizzy deserves a big trophy to compliment a career that has entertained us so much down the years while anyone who followed my pre-tournament tips has additional reason to root for the St Helens man considering he was backed at 50/1 each way!

But he'll obviously have to upset the odds to do so.

World champion van Gerwen has won 10 PDC titles since lifting his third Ally Pally trophy at the start of 2019, including the televised Masters, Premier League, Melbourne Masters and New Zealand Masters, so another big one to kick start the winter of majors will silence those critics who dared to doubt his dominance.

Over the coming updates I'll look back on their routes to the final, asses their tournament stats, head-to-head records and offer some predictions.

But first here's a list of the previous World Grand Prix finals which may rekindle some old memories...

World Grand Prix Past Finals

• Final scores in sets
• 1998 - Phil Taylor 13-8 Rod Harrington
• 1999 - Phil Taylor 6-1 Shayne Burgess
• 2000 - Phil Taylor 6-1 Shayne Burgess
• 2001 - Alan Warriner 8-2 Roland Scholten
• 2002 - Phil Taylor 7-3 John Part
• 2003 - Phil Taylor 7-2 John Part
• 2004 - Colin Lloyd 7-3 Alan Warriner
• 2005 - Phil Taylor 7-1 Colin Lloyd
• 2006 - Phil Taylor 7-4 Terry Jenkins
• 2007 - James Wade 6-3 Terry Jenkins
• 2008 - Phil Taylor 6-2 Raymond van Barneveld
• 2009 - Phil Taylor 6-3 Raymond van Barneveld
• 2010 - James Wade 6-3 Adrian Lewis
• 2011 - Phil Taylor 6-3 Brendan Dolan
• 2012 - Michael van Gerwen 6-4 Mervyn King
• 2013 - Phil Taylor 6-0 Dave Chisnall
• 2014 - Michael van Gerwen 5-3 James Wade
• 2015 -
• 2016 -
• 2017: Daryl Gurney 5-4 Simon Whitlock
• 2018: Michael van Gerwen 5-2 Peter Wright

Related darts links

• 2019 PDC event calendar & results
• 2019 Premier League darts results
• 2018 PDC event calendar & results
• 2018 Premier League darts results