Michael van Gerwen has survived an onslaught from Nathan Aspinall to win the World Grand Prix by a 5-3 scoreline.
The pair recorded impressive victories in contrasting ways on Saturday night, overcoming Peter Wright and Gerwyn Price to set up what many had hoped to be an entertaining final in Leicester.
However, Van Gerwen threatened to make light work of the Englishman, surging into a 4-0 lead with yet another clinical performance on his starting and finishing doubles.
At that stage, Van Gerwen was averaging 96, a stunning effort in the double-in format, but Aspinall was also performing to a high standard and finally began to take his chances.
As Van Gerwen's form dropped off, Aspinall maintained his level, his checkout percentage marginally below 50% as a once unthinkable comeback appeared more likely than not.
🏆🏆🏆 SIX OF THE BEST 🏆🏆🏆
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) October 9, 2022
Michael van Gerwen is the 2022 @BoyleSports World Grand Prix Champion!
The Dutchman fights off a spirited Nathan Aspinall comeback, completing a dramatic 5-3 victory!#WGPDarts | Final pic.twitter.com/Eon8ffln88
Nevertheless, Van Gerwen responded in the eighth set, moving into a 2-0 advantage, only for Aspinall to storm back and miss two darts to take an absorbing contest into a decider.
Shots at double 20 and double 10 went begging, and Van Gerwen stepped in to hit double six at the second attempt to continue his resurgence since an arm operation in June.
Despite missing out on a second televised ranking title, Aspinall finished with a higher average and won more legs than his opponent, highlighting the small margins when it had initially appeared that Van Gerwen would post a whitewash win.
Van Gerwen remains at number three in the PDC Order of Merit, but Aspinall has moved up five places into 11th position.
Wright has returned to world number one with Price's 2020 Grand Prix money coming off his ranking.
Darren Plant
