Michael van Gerwen has been warned he risks a dip in form if he doesn't carefully manage his schedule, with former pro Matthew Edgar questioning the Dutchman's decision to skip Players Championship events three and four in Wigan next week. Van Gerwen is currently in a resurgence, having reached a semi-final and a quarter-final on the Pro Tour and topping the Premier League after winning the opening night and making the final in Antwerp.
Edgar emphasized the need for balance, stating, "For me, Van Gerwen is one of those people who has to have everything right. If he plays too much, we see his performance drop. If he doesn't play enough, we see his performance drop. He is one of those who really has to manage his diary and calendar." He expressed confusion over skipping the Pro Tour week during a good spell, noting, "What is interesting for me is that he is not going to the ProTours next week. He has got this form going, he is playing well. He did well on the ProTours this previous week, and he is not going to Wigan."
Edgar pointed to recent history, highlighting that Van Gerwen missed the Players Championship Finals in Minehead last year, a rare occurrence in his career. He added, "It was 2011 the last time he didn't make a major tournament. Now he has gone, 'I am going to play in the same amount of events as I did last year. I am not going to play any extra.' You have just failed for the first time in 15 years and you go, 'I am going to do the same thing.'" Van Gerwen returns to action in the Premier League on Thursday with a marquee clash against Luke Littler in Glasgow, offering a chance to reinforce his strong start to the season.
