Michael van Gerwen beats Phil Taylor in Players Championship

Michael van Gerwen ended Phil Taylor's dominant run of form by beating the world number one to win the Players Championship title in Minehead.

The Dutchman, 24, trailed 6-3 in the final but won seven consecutive legs to stun defending champion Taylor and eventually triumphed 11-7.

"If you want to beat Phil, you can't afford to miss," said van Gerwen.

"To beat Phil, Adrian Lewis, Wes Newton and Andy Hamilton and win the trophy says I'm a true champion."

Van Gerwen, who also beat Taylor in the final of the Premier League in May, continued: "I'm very happy because I'd lost in a couple of finals and people were talking about my performances, but I knew I had the game there."

Taylor, 53, has won seven televised tournaments in 2013 and will go in search of a 17th world title later this month, with the draw for the first round of the World Championship made on Monday.