Michael Smith has revealed he was “crying in bed” days before qualifying for the Grand Slam of Darts.
The 2023 world champion has booked his ticket to the big event in Wolverhampton – live Ski Sports from November 8 to 16 – on Friday.
In qualifying, Smith drew an emphatic line under a tumultuous 2025 plagued by arthritis and wrist, shoulder and foot injuries.
Having dropped out of the world’s top 16 and missed out on the Premier League, the World Cup and the World Grand Prix, Smith returns to the scene of his Grand Slam triumph in 2022 in the hope of reigniting his career.
Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Michael Smith was overcome with emotion on stage after winning the Grand Slam of Darts – his first major tournament at the ninth attempt
“You don’t understand the relief I felt today playing these matches,” Smith.
“From three weeks ago crying in bed because I couldn’t walk, to winning the qualifiers today was unreal.
“I don’t show what I was doing in the practice room, but some of my games came out. And my emotions certainly did.”
Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Michael Smith ended his great PDC blunder as he held the Eric Bristow trophy after his convincing 16-5 win
‘Plenty of time to fight back’
‘Bully Boi’ Smith has suffered 19 first-round exits on the 2025 ProTour and faces the prospect of ending the year without a title for the first time since 2019.
But with qualification for the PDC World Darts Championship still pending until the end of the year, Smith remains focused on proving his doubters wrong.
Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
See how 2023 Wayne Mardle and Stuart Pike reacted to the sensational match between Michael van Gerwen and Michael Smith in the World Cup final that culminated in nine darts for Bully Boy
“I didn’t have the best results, but if you saw my games, I had a couple of 96 averages and 101 averages,” he said. Darts corner. “Even one of the matches I lost with 96 I averaged 124 for the first nine.
“So now it’s just what wins. For me now it’s about getting to the World Cup. All I have to do is win three or four games and then get back into the top 10.”
“For me it’s just to get there, to get back on TV, to get back playing well – because I know I’m going to do that.”
“You have some ex-pros who say I’m gone, but they’ve tried that and they’ve quit and become commentators. I’m only 35, so I’ve got plenty of time to fight back.”
Sky Sports will once again be home to the Premier League, World Darts Cup, World Match, World Grand Prix, Grand Slam and World Darts Championship! Stream darts and more top sports with NOW