In a high-class final against Michael van Gerwen, the Englishman Michael Smith became darts world champion for the first time.
On Tuesday evening (January 3rd, 2023) he took part in his third final: After the runner-up title in 2019 and 2022, the “Bully Boy” won 7: 4 and was able to celebrate.
Smith now also world number one
“It’s coming home”, chanted the many English fans well before the end of the game, as Smith’s success slowly became apparent. 2019 had in the same final pairing in Alexandra Palace, kurz “Ally Pally,” in London nor van Gerwen won. After a strong tournament and a furious final are 500,000 pounds (around 565,000 euros) and the 25 kilograms Sid Waddell Trophy the reward for Smith, who also leads the world rankings.
In the semi-finals, the Englishman had eliminated the German Gabriel Clemens, who had achieved a historic result from a German point of view by participating in the semi-finals.
Nine-darter: Incredible leg in the second set
One leg in the second set in particular should stick in the memory of the cheering fans: Smith scored the first nine-darter at this World Cup and the first nine-darter in a World Cup final since Adrian Lewis twelve years ago. Particularly curious: Opponent Michael van Gerwen had thrown eight perfect darts himself in the same leg and only just missed the arrow on double 12.
Previously, there had always been six, seven or eight perfect darts in the title fights at Alexandra Palace – but the nine remained in the first 94 games of the £2.5 million (around EUR 2.84 million) event and only came in the grand final between giants Smith and van Gerwen. For example, there was no nine-darter at the 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 World Championships.
Smith uses the momentum
For the first time in this tournament, van Gerwen then had problems. After the emotional nine-darter, Smith had the momentum on his side for a short time, the audience was on the side of the Englishman in the high-class match anyway. Smith led 2-1, it was van Gerwen’s first World Cup deficit in six games.
But it didn’t take long for the man in the bright green shirt to recover. A short time later he had won back-to-back sets and reclaimed the lead – it would be the last of the night. Smith took a 6-3 lead, van Gerwen came back, but in the end the Englishman deservedly prevailed, fighting back tears and composure several times afterwards. “Apart from the birth of my children, it was the greatest moment of my life”, said Smith. “I had my chances”said van Gerwen and repeatedly patted his opponent on the shoulder: “He played brilliantly.”