Former world champion Michael Smith heads to Alexandra Palace defending loads of rating cash however insists his solely focus is successful the entire thing.
Smith has been inconsistent ever since he gained his maiden world title in January 2023, admitting to spending a 12 months celebrating finishing his dream, the St Helens man hitting a nine-darter on the best way to being topped champion of the world.
In Might, he then picked up his first rating title in 11 months earlier than successful the World Cup of Darts alongside Luke Humphries, giving glimpses of the sensational expertise each darts fan is aware of he possesses.
As a result of PDC’s two-year Order of Advantage system, Smith wants an excellent run on the Worlds simply to remain within the high 10, a feat many would see as pressurised, particularly as a former world no 1.
Nevertheless, Smith maintains that he solely has one focus and that’s changing into a two-time world champion and from that, the rankings will kind themselves.
But when he had been ever to drop out of the highest 64, you wont be seeing ‘BullyBoy’ at Q Faculty.
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Michael Smith lifted the Sid Waddell trophy after beating Michael van Gerwen within the World Championship Ultimate.
“I really don’t (think about it), because the only thing that stresses me out now is the questions about that. But I’m not bothered about it, because I’m not going to fall out of the top 16,” Smith mentioned.
“I might fall out of the top 10 if I don’t pull my finger out, but it means next year then, because I’ve virtually took a year now, I’ve got nothing to defend.
“So I’ve obtained in all probability about £120,000 to defend subsequent 12 months, so I will be again to work alongside anyway. So subsequent 12 months, not bothered, no stress, I simply need to play darts. The opposite aspect of that, my administration crew can fear about it, my household can fear about it, I simply need to play.
“As long as I don’t fall out of 64, because then I’ll retire then. If I fall out of 64, I won’t do Q School, because I know I wasn’t good enough, so I’ll just literally start something else.”
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Michael Smith produced an outstanding closing leg to win the World Championship Ultimate in opposition to Michael van Gerwen
With a lot at stake and a combined 12 months to date, Smith is aware of he might flip up at Alexandra Palace and switch a 50/50 12 months into an excellent 12 months and with that in thoughts, his “bare minimum” goal is a run to the semi-finals.
“Every time I play, I want to win. So the main goal is just to win the World Championships. The bare minimum I’d want is at least a semi-final. Even then, semis, I’d lose £400,000 on my ranking,” Smith added.
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Michael Smith hits an unbelievable no-look 180 regardless of discovering himself three legs down in opposition to Mike De Decker on the 2024 Grand Slam of Darts
“But semis for me is bare minimum, but I’m only turning up to win. Like you shouldn’t think about, I’d love to get to the third round of the World’s, or the last 16, you want to be the World Champion. That’s my main target, my only target, is winning.
“It’s all taking place to December 15 when a month of the Worlds begins. If I can have my recreation prepared for that, or win the Worlds, my 12 months’s been wonderful once more.
“So it’s just that one event that we worked 12 months for, win that, and then everything’s forgotten about then.
“The Ally Pally, there is no higher feeling, particularly if you’re standing on that stage as nicely. You spent 12 months of the 12 months attempting to get there, you are lastly there, and you do not need to blow it then. That is the one little bit of stress on your self that you just assume, overlook being out, it has been a wasted 12 months.”
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Talking on Love The Darts, Sky Sports activities Darts editor Megan Wellens and Matthew Edgar focus on the stress on Michael Smith’s rating place on the finish of this 12 months
When will the World Darts Championship happen?
The match will get below approach at Alexandra Palace on Sunday December 15, with three first-round matches and one second-round match on the opening night.
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Talking on Love The Darts, Michael Bridge and Polly James debate which gamers are nonetheless to be feared when enjoying in opposition to them
There will likely be dwell darts over every of the next eight days, together with seven afternoon classes, with the standard three-day break from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day earlier than returning with the third spherical and a double session on December 27.
The third and fourth rounds will likely be accomplished by December 30 earlier than an evening off on New 12 months’s Eve, with the quarter-finals held throughout two classes on New 12 months’s Day forward of the semi-finals on January 2 and the ultimate on Friday January 3.
The complete day-by-day schedule for this 12 months’s match may be discovered right here.
Who will win the Paddy Energy World Darts Championship? Watch each match completely dwell from December 15-January 3 on Sky Sports activities’ devoted darts channel. Stream darts and extra high sport with NOW.
