Michael Smith crashes out of World Championship and faces £500,000 problem
Michael Smith has crashed out of the World Darts Championship in a five-set epic. The second seed came up against Dutchman Kevin Doets and fell short with a 3-2 defeat in a nail-biting contest at Alexandra Palace. GettySmith could not withstand a barrage from Doets[/caption] As the 2023 world champion, Smith’s shock second-round defeat will see him plummet down the world rankings as he failed to defend his £500,000 prize from two years ago. “I cannot describe this,” a delighted Doets said on Sky Sports. “I was really close to beating Rob Cross in the World Series finals. I lost out, I was unlucky. “This game was weird. He took his own set easy, I took my set easy, he took his easy, I took mine easily. The last set was incredible.” Both players averaged over 96 in a game swing veered back and forth from the off. Doets triumphed 6-4 in the final set, which was heading for a sudden-death showdown if he didn’t win the tenth leg. The 26-year-old Dutchman threw nine maximums to take his total for the tournament to 12. After missing 11 doubles to fall 1-0 down, Hawkeye did not let his head drop and trusted his game to reach the third round for the first time ever. “I felt like my scoring power was great,” he added. “I just couldn’t get a double in. When I got one in, I just kept on going and going. “Since he was 2-1 up, I had a focus in my throw I felt if I can keep my focus, I won’t lose this. “It was so very tight, to get over the line was amazing.” GettyDoets produced some epic darts when it counted[/caption] GettySmith lost in a final-set decider that thrilled the crowd[/caption] Doets lost 3-2 to Smith at this stage last year. He missed three match arts but finally triumphed at the fourth attempt. The world No. 51 saw several darts bounce out but produced a classy bullseye finish towards the end of the final set. Former world champion Smith will now need to bounce back after falling out of the world’s top 12 players, earning just £15,000 as a second-round loser. “The first 12 months after winning it were the best 12 months of my life,” the 34-year-old said ahead of the game. “I stepped away from darts, no Pro Tours, no Europeans, I just had fun. I must have had eight or nine holidays throughout the year, but in the last year I have been paying the price for that. “I have been struggling to find different rhythms and different forms and also who I am as a person. It was a bit of a catch 22 really, trying to find it all again. “But you know what, I’d do it all again. I just know the next time I win the Worlds, I am going to do a Humphries and keep on playing and playing and playing, because that guy is absolutely killing it. “I did the wrong thing. I think it might have been because I had been to the final twice before and lost them both, so after I won it I just thought I’m going to go and enjoy myself now. It was immature, but I just wanted to have fun.”
Michael Smith has crashed out of the World Darts Championship in a five-set epic.
The second seed came up against Dutchman Kevin Doets and fell short with a 3-2 defeat in a nail-biting contest at Alexandra Palace.
As the 2023 world champion, Smith’s shock second-round defeat will see him plummet down the world rankings as he failed to defend his £500,000 prize from two years ago.
“I cannot describe this,” a delighted Doets said on Sky Sports. “I was really close to beating Rob Cross in the World Series finals. I lost out, I was unlucky.
“This game was weird. He took his own set easy, I took my set easy, he took his easy, I took mine easily. The last set was incredible.”
Both players averaged over 96 in a game swing veered back and forth from the off.
Doets triumphed 6-4 in the final set, which was heading for a sudden-death showdown if he didn’t win the tenth leg.
The 26-year-old Dutchman threw nine maximums to take his total for the tournament to 12.
After missing 11 doubles to fall 1-0 down, Hawkeye did not let his head drop and trusted his game to reach the third round for the first time ever.
“I felt like my scoring power was great,” he added. “I just couldn’t get a double in. When I got one in, I just kept on going and going.
“Since he was 2-1 up, I had a focus in my throw I felt if I can keep my focus, I won’t lose this.
“It was so very tight, to get over the line was amazing.”
Doets lost 3-2 to Smith at this stage last year.
He missed three match arts but finally triumphed at the fourth attempt.
The world No. 51 saw several darts bounce out but produced a classy bullseye finish towards the end of the final set.
Former world champion Smith will now need to bounce back after falling out of the world’s top 12 players, earning just £15,000 as a second-round loser.
“The first 12 months after winning it were the best 12 months of my life,” the 34-year-old said ahead of the game.
“I stepped away from darts, no Pro Tours, no Europeans, I just had fun. I must have had eight or nine holidays throughout the year, but in the last year I have been paying the price for that.
“I have been struggling to find different rhythms and different forms and also who I am as a person. It was a bit of a catch 22 really, trying to find it all again.
“But you know what, I’d do it all again. I just know the next time I win the Worlds, I am going to do a Humphries and keep on playing and playing and playing, because that guy is absolutely killing it.
“I did the wrong thing. I think it might have been because I had been to the final twice before and lost them both, so after I won it I just thought I’m going to go and enjoy myself now. It was immature, but I just wanted to have fun.”
