Former world champion Michael Smith heads to Alexandra Palace with big ranking money to defend but insists his only focus is on winning the whole thing.
Smith has been inconsistent since winning his first world title in January 2023, admitting he spent a year chasing his dream; The St Helens man was hitting nine darts on his way to becoming the world champion.
In May he then won his first ranking title in 11 months before winning the World Cup of Darts alongside Luke Humphreys, showing the sensational talent every darts fan knows he possesses.
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Watch how Wayne Mardle and Stuart Pike responded to Michael van Gerwen and Michael Smith’s sensational leg in the World Cup final that ended in nine balls for the Bully Boy.
Thanks to the PDC’s two-year Order of Merit system, Smith needs a good run just to stay in the top 10 in the World, a feat many would consider pressure, especially as a former world No.1.
However, Smith insists he has only one focus and that is to become a two-time world champion and the rankings will sort themselves out from there.
But if he ever makes it out of the top 64, you won’t be seeing “BullyBoy” at Q School.
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Michael Smith lifted the Sid Waddell trophy by defeating Michael van Gerwen in the World Cup final.
“I don’t really (think about it) because the only thing that stresses me out is the questions about it. But it doesn’t worry me because I’m not going to make the top 16,” Smith said :
“I might be out of the top 10 if I don’t get my finger out, but that means next year, because I’ve taken almost a year now, I have nothing to defend.
“So I’ve probably got around £120,000 to protect next year, so I’ll be back to work anyway. So next year, no worries, I just want to play darts. The other side of that, my Management team can is to worry about it, my family can worry about it, I just want to play.
“As long as I don’t fall below 64, because then I’ll retire, if I fall below 64, I won’t do Q School because I know I haven’t been good enough, so I’ll pass; just literally start something else.”
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Michael Smith produced a phenomenal final to win the World Championship final against Michael van Gerwen
With so much at stake and a mixed year so far, Smith knows he can turn 50/50 into a brilliant year, and with that in mind, his ‘minimum’ target is a run to the semi-finals.
“Every time I play I want to win. So the main goal is to win the world championship. The minimum I would like is to make the semi-finals. Even then, I will lose my ranking of £400,000.” added Smith.
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Michael Smith has made an incredible 180 despite going three legs down against Mike De Decker in the 2024 Grand Slam of Darts.
“But for me, the semi-finals are the minimum, but I’m playing just to win. As you shouldn’t think about it, I’d like to reach the third round of the world, or the last 16, you want to be. That’s my main goal , my only goal is to win.
“It’s all going to be until December 15th, when Worlds month starts. If I can get my game ready for that, or win Worlds, I’ve had a great year again.
“So it’s just that one event that we’ve been working towards for 12 months, win it and then it’s all forgotten.
“Ally Pally, there’s no better feeling, especially when you’re standing on that stage too. You’ve spent 12 months of the year getting there, and you don’t want to blow it then. That’s the only pressure on yourself.” you think, forget being out, it’s been a pointless year.”
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Speaking on Love The Darts, Sky Sports Darts editor Megan Wellens and Matthew Edgar discuss the pressure on Michael Smith’s ranking position later this year.
When will the World Darts Championship be held?
The tournament kicks off at Alexandra Palace on Sunday 15 December with three first and one second round matches on the opening night.
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Speaking on Love The Darts, Michael Bridges and Polly James discuss which players are still to be feared when playing against them.
There will be live darts on each of the next eight days, including seven afternoons, with the usual three-day break from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day, before returning for round three and a double session on December 27.
Rounds three and four will run until December 30 before taking a break on New Year’s Eve, with the quarter-finals played over two sessions on New Year’s Day before the semi-finals on January 2 and the final on Friday January 3.
You can find the full schedule for this year’s tournament here here.
Who will win the Paddy Power World Darts Championship Watch every match exclusively live from December 15 to January 3 on Sky Sports’ special Darts channel. Stream darts and better sports with NOW!.
