Michael van Gerwen's marriage breakdown and brutal surgery as he banks £80,000

Darts ace Michael van Gerwen became a tournament winner again at the weekend, defeating Luke Littler in the World Series of Darts Finals. The victory not only netted the Dutchman £80,000 but also came following a challenging period for him, both on and away from the oche, having recently split from his wife of more than 10 years.

Speaking after his victory in Amsterdam, he said: "We all know what difficulties I've had in the last few months, but to do it in front of my home crowd means a lot to me, it's amazing. I've never been away, but I've had to dig really deep to do this. I love what I do. I hope this is the beginning of a lot more."

For years, Van Gerwen was the player everyone else aspired to topple. He claimed three World Championships and three World Matchplay crowns and is now a six-time World Series Finals winner.

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Sunday's success was his first TV title since 2023, and it suggests he is ready to challenge the sport's current top two, Little and Luke Humphries.

Marriage break-up

In May, Van Gerwen confirmed he had split from his wife, Daphne, and stepped back from public view. Addressing his life off the oche, he told Dutch title AD: "I'm just human, you know. At some point, you want to think about nice things again, not just be preoccupied with the mess you're experiencing at that moment.

"I couldn't write this script myself, so I'll have to deal with it in a way I think is right. You could just sit around and grieve all day, but that's pointless. So you do fun things, take time for yourself."

Jaw surgery

In the last couple of years, Van Gerwen has gone under the knife for jaw surgery, which saw him take a brief break from action. Speaking ahead of the operation, he explained: "I'll have an operation in which they're going to break my upper jaw and lower jaw. Put them right on each other. Then it's all about recovery. Two years more in a brace. Then I'm about finished.

"Between the first operation this year and the second one, there has to be a minimum of one year. It's because my upper jaw is a lot smaller than my lower jaw. My underbite is over a centimetre.

"Even a slice of ham, I cannot even bite properly. And because my upper jaw is too small also you get less oxygen through your nose. That creates headaches, less sleep, things like that."

Following his World Series triumph, Van Gerwen should be confident entering the upcoming flurry of majors, starting with the World Grand Prix in October and end with the World Championship over Christmas and New Year, which will see the winner bank a record £1million.