Michael Smith cruised into the second round of the 2024 European Championship on Thursday night in Dortmund, delivering a commanding 6-0 victory over his good friend Dave Chisnall.
While the scoring from both players was below their usual standards, the match’s outcome hinged on Smith’s proficiency on doubles, contrasting sharply with Chisnall’s struggles. Chisnall missed a staggering twelve darts at double throughout the match, including seven in the very first leg.
Smith capitalized on these opportunities, quickly establishing a 2-0 lead before showcasing his finishing skills with consecutive checkouts of 104, 148, and 161. The match concluded in leg six, with Smith finishing it off with an 18-darter.
“I was expecting a really close game,” Smith admitted in his post-match press conference, a smile on his face. “I just got lucky that he was decent at scoring but struggled on doubles, which is usually my issue. I started poorly, but then I hit three ton-plus finishes in a row and took control of the game. I’m happy with the result, but not so much with the scoring.”
Related News
Currently ranked second in the PDC Order of Merit, ‘BullyBoy’ finds himself entering a crucial phase of the season, needing to defend significant prize money from two years ago. Smith reached the final of the 2022 European Championships, clinched the title at the 2022 Grand Slam of Darts, and triumphed at the 2023 World Darts Championships.
As a result, he currently sits in a lowly 14th place in the provisional post-Ally Pally Order of Merit via Darts Rankings. However, Smith remains unfazed by the drop.
“My struggles at the moment are my own doing,” he reflected. “After winning the Worlds, I took almost a full year off except for stage events, and now I’m paying the price for that. In practice, I feel like I’m back to my best, but it just isn’t translating to the stage right now. Who knows, maybe it will click this weekend, next week at the Grand Slam, or even at the Worlds.”
“Even if I lose in the first round of everything, no one can take 2022 and 2023 away from me. That’s something you can’t erase. You can take the money off my ranking, but you can’t take the titles,” Smith concluded, emphasizing his confidence and resilience as he looks to regain his top form.
