‘I didn’t play well’ – Darts star makes shock claim after throwing two nine-darters in record-breaking triumph
Ross Smith made history as he threw two nine-darters on his way to winning Players Championship 16, but he wasn’t completely satisfied. The Englishman smashed several records as he clinched his sixth PDC ranking title with victory in Hildesheim, claiming 24 consecutive legs in one of the most dominant displays ever seen on the ProTour. Ross Smith climbed back into the world top’s 16 with a stunning Players Championship win Smith demolished Brendan Dolan 8-0 in the final in Germany, having cruised through to the showdown after winning 16 legs on the spin. The 36-year-old enjoyed whitewash wins over Danny Noppert and Luke Woodhouse in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, winning 6-0 and 7-0 respectively. In fact, over the course of Smith’s victorious campaign, four of his five opponents failed to win a single leg. The 2022 European champion opened with a 6-0 triumph over Dylan Slevin, before beating Chris Landman 6-3 in the last 16. Landman briefly fought back to level at 3-3, before Smith began an astonishing run, and never lost another leg all day. He also hit two nine-dart finishes on his way to an historic triumph, becoming just the third player – along with Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen – to land multiple nine-darters in the same Players Championship event. Despite his record-breaking heroics, Smith had a surprising verdict when asked for his thoughts on his stunning campaign. He told the PDC: “Honestly I don’t think I actually played that well today. I feel like sometimes luck is on your side. “The nine-darters are great, I think they’re a bit overrated mind you I’d like the pin. It’s a nice little trophy but it’s winning the trophy that counts. “Playing these guys, I don’t think they’ve turned up as well to be fair. I think I’ve got a bit lucky in those games.” View Tweet: https://twitter.com/hashtag/PC16?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw GettySmith remained humble after an historic triumph[/caption] While Smith may have played down his remarkable feats, he revealed he would be savouring his latest win, which was his fifth Players Championship crown. He said: “I want to win all the time, who doesn’t? “I’ve got the little plaques at home with the scoresheets. They’re my trophies, whether they’re Players Championship or not, they mean a lot to me. “I’m going to add another to the wall now. It’s another incentive when I’m at home practising like: ‘Let’s get another one’. “Every year I want to win something. I know I can be one of the best in the world, consistency is a big thing but I know I can win tournaments on a regular basis.” The Kent native’s success sees him climb back into the world’s top 16 rankings at number 14. GettySmith’s only major title came at the 2022 European Championship, where he beat Michael Smith 11-8 in the final[/caption] This will significantly boost his position ahead of the upcoming World Matchplay tournament in July, the next major tournament on the darts calendar. And having already tasted glory at a premier event with his 2022 European Championship victory, Smith admitted he was hungry for more silverware in the future. He added: “I don’t want to be somebody retiring in 10 years time like: ‘Oh yeah I’ve won one major’, and being called a one-hit wonder. “I want two, three, four and that’s what I will do. I’ll just keep working hard at my game whether another major comes this year or year after that. “I know every game I go into I give 100%. If you’ve won a major, you can win anything.”
Ross Smith made history as he threw two nine-darters on his way to winning Players Championship 16, but he wasn’t completely satisfied.
The Englishman smashed several records as he clinched his sixth PDC ranking title with victory in Hildesheim, claiming 24 consecutive legs in one of the most dominant displays ever seen on the ProTour.
Smith demolished Brendan Dolan 8-0 in the final in Germany, having cruised through to the showdown after winning 16 legs on the spin.
The 36-year-old enjoyed whitewash wins over Danny Noppert and Luke Woodhouse in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, winning 6-0 and 7-0 respectively.
In fact, over the course of Smith’s victorious campaign, four of his five opponents failed to win a single leg.
The 2022 European champion opened with a 6-0 triumph over Dylan Slevin, before beating Chris Landman 6-3 in the last 16.
Landman briefly fought back to level at 3-3, before Smith began an astonishing run, and never lost another leg all day.
He also hit two nine-dart finishes on his way to an historic triumph, becoming just the third player – along with Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen – to land multiple nine-darters in the same Players Championship event.
Despite his record-breaking heroics, Smith had a surprising verdict when asked for his thoughts on his stunning campaign.
He told the PDC: “Honestly I don’t think I actually played that well today. I feel like sometimes luck is on your side.
“The nine-darters are great, I think they’re a bit overrated mind you I’d like the pin. It’s a nice little trophy but it’s winning the trophy that counts.
“Playing these guys, I don’t think they’ve turned up as well to be fair. I think I’ve got a bit lucky in those games.”
While Smith may have played down his remarkable feats, he revealed he would be savouring his latest win, which was his fifth Players Championship crown.
He said: “I want to win all the time, who doesn’t?
“I’ve got the little plaques at home with the scoresheets. They’re my trophies, whether they’re Players Championship or not, they mean a lot to me.
“I’m going to add another to the wall now. It’s another incentive when I’m at home practising like: ‘Let’s get another one’.
“Every year I want to win something. I know I can be one of the best in the world, consistency is a big thing but I know I can win tournaments on a regular basis.”
The Kent native’s success sees him climb back into the world’s top 16 rankings at number 14.
This will significantly boost his position ahead of the upcoming World Matchplay tournament in July, the next major tournament on the darts calendar.
And having already tasted glory at a premier event with his 2022 European Championship victory, Smith admitted he was hungry for more silverware in the future.
He added: “I don’t want to be somebody retiring in 10 years time like: ‘Oh yeah I’ve won one major’, and being called a one-hit wonder.
“I want two, three, four and that’s what I will do. I’ll just keep working hard at my game whether another major comes this year or year after that.
“I know every game I go into I give 100%. If you’ve won a major, you can win anything.”
