German Darts Grand Prix: Michael van Gerwen beats Peter Wright 8-5

Van Gerwen broke in the first leg of the title showdown and was in front throughout the early stages, but a 106 checkout from Wright reduced the deficit to 5-4.

Wright then levelled the scores with a stunning 161 finish, before van Gerwen regained his composure to rattle off three legs in quick succession.

The world number one had been taken the distance by opening opponent Steve Lennon on Sunday, but progressed serenely to the final thereafter with a 6-0 victory over Keegan Brown and a 7-3 success against Daryl Gurney.

Wright proved a tougher opponent after beating James Wade in his semi-final, but after drawing level with van Gerwen was unable to sustain the tempo as he came up one short.

Van Gerwen was winning his 22nd European Tour title and the 105th singles crown of his remarkable career.

"Peter is a phenomenal player and he works so hard, it’s always a great game between us and I’m really glad to win this one,” said the two-time world champion.

"I’m really proud of myself, I did't play brilliant but I did enough to win and to annoy Peter again."

Wright replied, jovially: "I'm a great runner-up! He said to me a couple of years ago that I would be number two in the world and he would be number one. He was correct. I hate him!"

The positive signs were there for all to see for Van Gerwen when he opened the final day of action at the Zenith in Munich with a thumping 6-1 win over Alan Norris, with the Dutch ace averaging 105 in the process.

A similarly devastating 6-0 win was dished out to Keegan Brown in the quarter-finals, with the former World Youth Champion no match for Van Gerwen as his march towards the title continued.

The semi-finals saw Van Gerwen take on 2017 World Grand Prix champion Daryl Gurney, but yet again the 28-year-old was in no mood to hang around, running out a 7-3 winner and progressing in to the final.

Wright’s run to the final began with a 6-0 whitewash of Alan Tabern before an average of almost 110 saw him sweep aside Joe Cullen 6-1 to move in to the semi-finals.

The 48-year-old's opponent in the last four was James Wade, who was making his second European Tour semi-final appearance of the year as his return to form continued.

Wright, though, was too strong for Wade in the end and the Scot took his place in the final with a 7-3 win.

There was also a quarter-final run for world champion Rob Cross and for home favourite Max Hopp, who was hoping to become the first German to make a European Tour semi-final, but it was Van Gerwen who claimed the £25,000 prize and yet another PDC title.

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