Michael van Gerwen bemoaned the "boring" Premier League format after struggling for motivation as he crashed out early in week nine.
The Dutchman failed to score a single point in Berlin as he was defeated 6-5 in his opening game against eventual winner Jonny Clayton.
And Van Gerwen was out of sorts as he mustered an average of just 89 with his night ending prematurely at the hands of the relieved Welshman.
MVG has been the dominant force in the Premier League and leads Gerwyn Price at the summit of the table, but was disillusioned after a substandard showing in the German capital.
"It was a mess, the sharpness wasn't there tonight," the six-time Premier League champion told ViaPlay. "But this format demands it. At times, it's quite boring. I said that last year, and again now.”
“I always want to win, but today I did not have the right attitude and of course that is not good. I'm obviously fed up with losing, but I'm even more fed up with sitting here for 3.5 hours preparing for nothing.”
Van Gerwen's comments raise questions about a divisive new format, which sees players compete for points in 16 mini-tournaments with the top four performing stars qualifying for the Play-Offs at London's O2 Arena on May 25.
The knockout format introduced last year was designed to add more jeopardy to each night's action with each weekly winner claiming a £10,000 bonus, replacing the old schedule that saw players competing in just one league match each week.
And two-time world champion Peter Wright is having his dramatic dip in form brutally exposed on a weekly basis in the Premier League. 'Snakebite' has won just one match out of nine and is rooted to the foot of the table, but has vowed not to let the long tournament "ruin" his career.
"Someone's got to lose but it's the way you deal with it, if you deal with it fine, don't let it affect it," he said. "It's ruined many, many dart players careers the Premier League. It's not going to ruin mine as I know how to win. I will turn it around."
