Michael Van Gerwen faces a spell off the oche after the conclusion of the Cazoo Premier League as he will undergo treatment for a long standing ailment in his throwing arm.
The ‘Green Machine’ qualified for the league play offs in Germany by coming second in the table after the ‘regulation’ fixtures. Defending champion Jonny Clayton topped the pile and so bagged the accompanying financial bonus, but it remains to seen how competitive the three time World Champion can be in the forthcoming knockout phase.
In a statement released on his Twitter account on Monday evening, the Dutchman said:
“For some time now I have been experiencing a tingling sensation in my throwing hand and arm. Following medical assessment, I was diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome.
“I have been receiving treatment for a while in order to ease the symptoms, enabling me to continue to play to a good level. However, it has become clear that I will require an operation for this problem to go away permanently.
“It is disappointing to miss the World Cup but myself, my management, family and medical advisors agree that it is the right time to fix the problem”.
According to the NHS website Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is “pressure on a nerve in your wrist. It causes tingling, numbness and pain in your hand and fingers. You can often treat it yourself, but it can take months to get better”.
Thus it remains to be seen how long Van Gerwen will be out of action for after the surgery. Naturally the game will be the poorer for its most recognisable star being on the sidelines but it will also present a window of opportunity for somebody else to make their mark.