Defending champion Michael Smith failed badly at the Darts World Cup. The clear exit in the round of 16 was the end of a complicated year.
When the end was sealed, Michael Smith left the site of his greatest triumph completely disillusioned.
The dream of successfully defending his title at the Darts World Cup was shattered, Smith had to hand over the stage in the Ally Pally, which he had taken by storm the previous year, to Chris Dobey.
Not only did the crashing exit in the round of 16 affect the 33-year-old’s mood, but at the start of the new year the Englishman will also be replaced at the top of the world rankings.
However: The knockout does not come as a surprise – Smith had not looked like the self-confident world champion in previous tournaments and in his first two appearances in London. The “Bully Boy” appeared erratic and sometimes doubtful – a comeback against the furious Dobey seemed impossible on Friday evening.
Smith had the best view as Dobey won leg after leg with playful ease and kept shaking his head in disbelief. With a hit on double 16, Dobey sealed his compatriot’s exit with the first match dart. But in the moment of triumph, he took advantage of the opportunities in the TV interviews to strengthen the fallen world champion.
Darts World Cup: Michael Smith’s next appearance in Düsseldorf
“He’ll come back bigger and stronger, everyone knows that,” said Dobey on the Sky UK microphone: “He’s a great guy, but there could only be one winner. I’m happy and happy that it was my night. “
Despite his dominant performance, he added that he was not completely satisfied.
Smith will now try to find some peace with his family. These moments are rare, the tight schedule in the darts calendar hardly allows this. Smith’s sons Junior (9) and Kasper (5) are big fans of Manchester United, so the record champions’ game at Nottingham Forest on Saturday evening comes in handy.
But Smith can’t really switch off; in just a few days he’ll be on a plane to Germany. Next Saturday he can be seen at the Celebrity Darts World Championships in Düsseldorf.