Michael van Gerwen targets fourth Grand Slam title from Group L

Michael van Gerwen returns to Wolverhampton as the 10th seed in Grand Slam of Darts Group L, chasing a first Grand Slam title since he won it three years in a row from 2015 to 2017.

Only Phil Taylor has matched that hat-trick, but Luke Littler could join them both this month after winning the last two titles.

Van Gerwen faces Henry Coates in Saturday’s evening session, with Jeffrey de Graaf completing the group. Only the group winner reaches the last 16 this year. For a player of his class, that is the minimum target.

Michael van Gerwen’s Grand Slam record

His first Grand Slam final came in 2012, when he lost a thriller 16-14 to Raymond van Barneveld. Three years later he beat Taylor 16-13 to win it for the first time, completing his set of every PDC major at the time.

He kept the trophy by beating James Wade 16-8 in 2016, then beat Peter Wright 16-12 in the 2017 final. Our Grand Slam draw explainer shows how this year’s seeds were set.

Year	Result	Opponent
2012	Lost 16-14	Raymond van Barneveld
2015	Won 16-13	Phil Taylor
2016	Won 16-8	James Wade
2017	Won 16-12	Peter Wright

The last two years have been less kind. In 2024 he went out in the group stage for the first time since 2010.

Last year was tense from the start. Beau Greaves missed a match dart in his opening game, and he scraped through 5-4. Niko Springer then beat him by the same score. He still topped the group, beating Gary Anderson 5-2 with a 108.5 average, but Danny Noppert beat him 10-6 in the last 16, despite Van Gerwen opening with a 170 checkout.

There was a big consolation earlier in the autumn. At the World Series of Darts Finals in September 2025, he beat Littler 11-7 in the final. It was his first televised title in two years, and it proved he can still beat the very best.

Michael van Gerwen’s 2026 season

This year has been a mix of highs and lows. At Ally Pally, Anderson beat him 4-1 in the fourth round, his earliest World Championship exit in a decade.

He bounced back by winning the Bahrain Darts Masters, beating Gian van Veen 8-6 in the final. Four days later, Littler beat him 8-5 in the Saudi Arabia Darts Masters final.

He won the opening night of the Premier League in Newcastle but missed the play-offs for a second year running. He won Players Championship 15, averaging 122.34 in a semi-final whitewash of Martin Schindler, and in June he beat Luke Humphries 8-7 to win the Nordic Darts Masters for a second time.

The quality is clearly still there; the question is consistency. His Swiss Darts Trophy exit to Mensur Suljovic last month showed how quickly things can turn.

Grand Slam of Darts Group L: the test ahead

Van Gerwen knows De Graaf well. He beat him 4-2 in the fourth round of the 2025 World Championship on his way to the final, though the Swede, who had knocked out Anderson earlier in the event, recovered from 2-0 down to level at 2-2.

Coates is a dangerous floor player who can punish any slow start.

Group matches are best of nine legs, which leaves little time to recover from a bad patch. A win earns two points, and leg difference breaks any tie, so big wins matter too.

On paper, this is a kind group. If Van Gerwen wins on Saturday night, he should go through, and the longer knockout formats suit him.

See every group in our Grand Slam of Darts groups guide and every session in the Grand Slam schedule. Read our previews of Jonny Clayton’s Group G and James Wade’s Group K, follow our Michael van Gerwen profile, and find every result on our PDC darts hub.

Grand Slam of Darts Group L FAQ

Who is in Grand Slam of Darts Group L?
Michael van Gerwen (10), Jeffrey de Graaf and Henry Coates. Only the winner reaches the last 16.

How many times has Michael van Gerwen won the Grand Slam of Darts?
Three times, in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Only Phil Taylor has also won it three years in a row.

When does Michael van Gerwen play at the Grand Slam?
He opens against Henry Coates in Saturday’s evening session, which starts at 7pm.

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