Sporting Life
Michael Smith won the PDC World Darts Championship
Michael Smith won the PDC World Darts Championship

Michael Smith insists greatest ever nine-darter inspired him to defeat MVG in the World Championship final

By Sporting Life
10:16 · WED January 04, 2023

Players often say hitting a nine-darter can be a curse but Michael Smith insists his outrageous perfect leg in the World Championship final gave him belief he could beat Michael van Gerwen.

Seven of the previous 13 nine-darters in PDC World Darts Championship history had proved to be in vain, including Gerwyn Price's moment of magic against Bully Boy in last year's epic quarter-final.

But on this occasion the two-time runner-up, who lost to MVG in the 2019 final and to Peter Wright 12 months ago, backed up the greatest leg in darts history - in which the Dutchman also had an attempt at double 12 - with more mesmeric scoring en route to winning one of the greatest ever finals 7-4.

* Michael Smith was backed at 8/1 by Sporting Life's darts expert Chris Hammer, who also tipped a nine-darter in the final at 12/1 *

The new world number one also became just the second player to hit a nine-darter in the World Championship final and the first since Adrian Lewis in 2011.

Smith said: “When he missed the double 12 I gave him a little low five and it was like, ‘If I hit this now he will know I am in the game and I am not going to shy away from it’.

“I lost the first set on my darts and I was like, ‘Is it going to happen again?’. But when that nine went in it kickstarted me and gave me that belief I needed and also gave him that doubt that I was not just here to get another runners-up trophy. I am here to play and try my best to win the World Championship.”

After losing finals in 2019 and 2022 amid a run of eight successive major final defeats, Smith could have been forgiven for thinking that a night like this would never happen.

But he remained positive and knows all the heartache was worth it.

“I don’t think I can describe it,” he added.

“I have finally done it, all that heartache I have been through and finally I have been able to lift the trophy and put the star on the shirt that I know I have worked hard for.

“It wasn’t just for the World Championship tonight, it was for the world number one so it is special.”

Van Gerwen was the heavy favourite for a fourth title after a brilliant year and an even better tournament, where he averaged over 100 in every round up to the final.

But he faltered at the last hurdle as after playing his part in an incredible opening to the match, where he missed an attempt at a nine-darter before Smith threw his, his level dropped off, allowing his opponent to race to the promised land.

“I think he played really well, of course I had my chances, we all know that,” Van Gerwen said on Sky Sports.

“When you don’t hit them it is going to hurt you, of course I was not playing too well in the last two sets and I can only blame myself for that.

“It wasn’t what I wanted it to be, but that’s part of the game and you have to take it on the chin. It’s part of the job, when you celebrate it’s a nice job but when you lose games it’s hard. I have to take it on the chin.”

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