Darts madness in the final: Smith with a nine-darter and the world champion crown

Created: 01/04/2023 05:50

By: Alexander Kaindl

An unbelievable final of the Darts World Championship finds a deserved winner: Michael Smith defeats Michael van Gerwen 7:4 and is the new world champion.

• Darts World Cup final: Michael van Gerwen - Michael Smith 4:7 (3:1, 1:3, 1:3, 3:0, 3:2, 1:3, 2:3, 1:3, 0: 3, 3:2, 2:3)

• Nine-darter!

  Madness between van Gerwen and Smith

• All highlights to read in the ticker.

11:31 p.m.:

Incredible scenes that took place here!

Pure ecstasy at Alexandra Palace after Smith checked his near-perfect leg here to become world champion.

Pure goosebumps!

Smith can hardly believe his luck in the interview, but at the same time he is humble: “I want to dominate this sport.

But he's still here.

He's the best player," he says on the Sky microphone and points to van Gerwen.

It is Smith's first title in his third appearance in the final.

Van Gerwen, on the other hand, loses his third World Cup final.

Michael Smith is the new darts world champion.

© Adrian DENNIS / AFP

The Dutchman congratulates fairly, says: "Defeats are part of it, I have to deal with that.

He played phenomenally, he deserved it.” Great words here!

Smith is asked about the best moment of his life right now.

He shakes his head, points to the audience, says: "The two best moments of my life are down there.

The births of my two sons.

I couldn't have done it without her."

Michael van Gerwen - Michael Smith 4:7 (3:1, 1:3, 1:3, 3:0, 3:2, 1:3, 2:3, 1:3, 0:3, 3:2, 2:3)

11th set, 5th leg: Smith starts with 180!

He keeps going!

Six perfect darts!

He doesn't make the nine.

But then it's the double 8!

MICHAEL SMITH IS WORLD CHAMPION!

11th set, 4th leg:

Smith narrowly misses the 121!

And van Gerwen narrowly fails at the Bulls Eye!

Smith then finished with the third dart!

2:2!

Smith is back, missing a leg!

11th set, 3rd leg:

Van Gerwen is on the rise, you can almost hear it rattling in Smith's head.

At least he checks again - third high finish with the 106, 1:2!

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11th set, 2nd leg:

Smith suddenly loses focus here.

Van Gerwen takes the second leg!

What's going on now?

11th set, 1st leg:

what a World Cup final we are witnessing here!

Michael Smith is so close to surprise victory.

Van Gerwen is playing by far his worst match at this World Cup.

But the Englishman hasn't reached the goal of his dreams yet, he's still missing a sentence.

And now, at the latest, your nerves should be fluttering.

Go on!

The bully boy throws, it's his set.

But van Gerwen plays five perfect darts.

He takes the first leg.

Darts World Cup final: Van Gerwen comes back against Smith

10th set, 5th leg:

Is this the last leg of this World Cup?

Bouncers at Smith!

Is that exciting!

But Van Gerwen withstands the pressure and checks!

The Dutch shortened.

10th set, 4th leg:

Smith checks the 48!

2:2, we're in the decider!

10th set, 3rd leg:

Van Gerwen comes back.

2-1 lead.

10th set, 2nd leg:

Smith leaves 56 remainder.

Van Gerwen follows - and also misses 56 rest!

Smith counters and checks, 1-1.

We're so close to a decision here.

10th set, 1st leg:

Is that the last set of this World Cup?

Smith dominates here with every trick in the book!

But only because van Gerwen gets nothing on the chain anymore.

Crazy.

MvG claws the first leg here.

9th set, 3rd leg:

Smith marches on!

3-0 in the legs in the ninth set!

6: 3 after sentences!

Van Gerwen can only watch.

9th set, 2nd leg:

Smith narrowly misses a 145 finish in a throw-off leg by van Gerwen.

What's going on here?!

Smith then broke with a third dart on double five.

This is the chance of 6: 3 after sentences!

9th set, 1st leg:

Let's go!

Crunch time now.

Smith needs two more sentences, the Englishman has the calmer hand here.

But you can never write off a van Gerwen.

Smith checks the 74 - as usual - over the double 20.

The Bully Boy leads in this ninth set.

8th set, 4th leg:

121 rest for Smith, he has plenty of time and faces the 32nd Van Gerwen only with a 45 shot, he's completely lost.

And Smith hits double eight for a third set win in a row!

He still needs two sentences!

8th set, 3rd leg:

Van Gerwen shortened to 1:2.

8th set, 2nd leg:

68 rest and away - Smith again on double 20!

2-0

8th set, 1st leg:

It's going to be a long evening here.

It is quite possible that we will go the full distance of 13 sets.

The face-off boy hits the next double 20 and breaks van Gerwen.

The Englishman has the momentum.

Darts World Cup final: Van Gerwen and Smith don't give each other anything

7th set, 5th leg:

Smith, you machine!

He is 0:2 behind here, then the amazing comeback - three legs in a row to lead 4:3 after sets for the bully boy!

7th set, 4th leg:

THE BULLY BOY CHECKS THE 130!

Second high finish for the Englishman.

2: 2 after 0: 2, brutal!

We are in the decider.

7th set, 3rd leg:

Van Gerwen misses the chance for double 18 and double 9.

That was two set darts!

Smith reduced to 1:2.

7th set, 2nd leg:

Van Gerwen immediately follows up!

2-0 to Mighty Mike, Smith has to fight now.

7th set, 1st leg:

Van Gerwen shoots away 63 rest with triple 13 and double 12.

Break of the Dutchman.

6th movement, 4th leg:

Crazy what the two offer us here!

Smith takes that sixth set.

3:3!

6th set, 3rd leg:

Break again!

Smith is here!

2:1 for the Englishman.

6th set, 2nd leg:

Van Gerwen snaps out 66 rest for a re-break.

Everything back in order!

6th set, 1st leg:

Let's go into this sixth set.

Van Gerwen throws, but suddenly only manages a 25 shot!

Smith manages the break.

Darts World Cup final: Van Gerwen manages to break against Smith

5th set, 5th leg:

Who will grab this decider?

It's Van Gerwen!

Break!

The Dutchman throws the next set, so he has an advantage.

5th set, 4th leg:

Van Gerwen equalizes!

We go into the decider.

5th set, 3rd leg:

Smith with double 20 to make it 2-1.

5th set, 2nd leg:

Van Gerwen comes back, all in the row here.

1:1

5th set, 1st leg:

Smith submits!

1:0

4th set, 3rd leg:

Van Gerwen is back!

Equalization, 3-0 in the legs in that fourth set.

Strong.

Darts World Cup: 180 record in the final

4th set, 2nd leg:

Smith throws the 881st 180 shot at this World Cup - there have never been so many!

Van Gerwen then played double 18, double 18 to break.

Strong!

2-0

4th set, 1st leg:

Van Gerwen misses double four and brings Smith back into the leg.

But the Dutchman uses the second chance.

1-0 for MvG.

3rd set, 4th leg:

Smith takes the set!

It works for van Gerwen, the double quota is simply not right for him.

But the match is still long.

3rd set, 3rd leg:

double trouble!

Both miss three chances for the last double.

But then van Gerwen is there and shortened to 1:2.

Smith could have closed the sentence here.

If that doesn't pay off.

3rd set, 2nd leg:

And Smith just keeps shooting!

60 percent double quota, van Gerwen only 24 percent!

And the Bully Boy is in a 180s mood again.

3rd set, 1st leg:

Smith submits!

The bully boy has finally arrived in this final.

Michael Smith in action.

© Zac Goodwin/PA Wire/dpa

2nd set, 4th leg:

Smith takes this set and equalizes!

But we are still flashed by this unbelievable third leg.

Van Gerwen and Smith each hit six perfect darts here.

Then van Gerwen lets the seven and eight follow.

He misses the ninth.

Smith follows - and actually conjures up the nine-darter here!

Darts history in the World Cup final!

Nine-darter!

Madness between van Gerwen and Smith

2nd set, 3rd leg: AMAZING!

Van Gerwen plays eight perfect darts, just missing the last double 12.

And then?

Then comes MICHAEL SMITH!

NINE-DARTER!

THE BEST LEG EVER!

2nd set, 2nd leg:

Here comes the bully boy!

Compensation.

2nd set, 1st leg:

Van Gerwen throws.

Incidentally, in 2023 he has not yet made a sentence.

It's going to be tough for Smith here.

The first leg goes to the Dutchman.

1st set, 4th leg:

And van Gerwen gets the first set, he breaks Smith right at the start!

The Green Machine is warming up.

Darts World Cup final now live: Van Gerwen and Smith with turbo start

1st set, 3rd leg:

Now the 180s are flying!

And van Gerwen manages the break straight away.

1st set, 2nd leg:

Both suddenly show nerves here!

Van Gerwen then turned his ninth chance into a leg win.

1st set, 1st leg

: Smith throws, it's his set.

The first 180 comes from MvG.

However, the face-off boy confidently checks the first leg with the first dart on double 20.

9:31 p.m .:

The two Michaels are finally on stage.

Here we go!

9:17 p.m .:

The wait is over!

The final of the darts world championship begins.

And, of course, the Master of Ceremonies, John McDonald, is about to greet the two players for their walk-ons.

Darts World Cup: final live today – van Gerwen or Smith collect prize money of 500,000 pounds

9:07 p.m .:

It should start here soon.

We look forward to world-class darts from Michael van Gerwen and Michael Smith.

8:51 p.m .:

What kind of finale are we going to see here?

The fans can look forward to some 180s, both players regularly get the highest number of points.

In addition, both van Gerwen and Smith are considered extremely fast.

It will happen in quick succession, presumably with a number of deciders.

We are curious.

8:37 p.m .:

The winner can not only look forward to the legendary Sid Waddell Trophy tonight.

In addition, there is 500,000 pounds (around 565,000 euros) in prize money.

Of course, the best darts players in the world have long been multi-millionaires.

Wants to win the World Cup: Michael van Gerwen.

© David Indian song / dpa

8:09 p.m .:

The countdown is on!

Arrows will fly here in less than an hour.

Update from January 3, 6:16 p.m .:

Gabriel Clemens is not in the final of the Darts World Cup tonight, but it was still a successful world cup for the 39-year-old.

In total, the Saarwellinger brought in over 100,000 euros in prize money.

Never before has a German made it to the semi-finals of the Darts World Cup.

It's quite possible that the success of the "German Giant" will finally wake up the sleeping giant: Experts rate the German potential for promising talent as extremely high.

And of course the large market also offers promising opportunities.

prove that there is interest in darts

.

On average, 1.99 million viewers watched the Clemens semi-final against Smith. At the peak, the television station from Ismaning even set an all-time record for broadcasting the World Cup with 3.78 million.

Darts World Cup: Hype in Germany is getting bigger

secured

the day's victory among the TV stations with a market share of 24.9 percent.

On average, 1.02 million fans in the target group watched the semifinals - interest in darts in Germany has never been greater.

almost broke the ten percent hurdle for

the total audience .

An average of 1.23 million people saw Clemens' quarter-final coup against world number one Gerwyn Price.

The World Cup in London will also be broadcast in Germany by the streaming

.

First report from January 3, 6:09 p.m .:

London – The big day has come!

On Tuesday, January 3rd, the new darts world champion will be crowned.

Saarlander Gabriel Clemens' big dream has burst, he had to admit defeat to Englishman Michael Smith in the semifinals on Monday.

That's how you know Michael van Gerwen: The Dutchman is once again the favorite in the final of the Darts World Championship against Michael Smith.

© Pro Sports Images / Imago

The "Bully Boy" now meets his namesake Michael van Gerwen in the final.

The Dutchman impressively prevailed against Belgian Dimitri van den Bergh in his semi-final and now has his fourth world title in sight.

World Darts Championship final live today: Van Gerwen sends the first poisoned darts towards Smith

As usual, "Mighty Mike" stepped up to the microphone of the TV channel

on Monday evening in the legendary Alexandra Palace .

His message to final opponent Smith: "He won't stop me.

nobody will stop me

I feel confident, I feel good and I play good darts."

Clear announcement!

But van Gerwen is also known for that in the darts circus.

From 9 p.m. the darts will fly, the game will be played in the “Best of 13 sets” mode.

Both players are considered absolute scoring machines, Clemens was at a loss after his 6-2 defeat against Smith.

“He scored like he was from another star and felt like he only threw 180s, checked everything, threw a lot of high finishes, it was really difficult.

I've been in the game for a long time.

But the better player won.”

Michal van Gerwen vs. Michael Smith: Final of the Darts World Championship in Alexandra Palace

Van Gerwen plays a World Cup like in 2017, when he triumphed with six clear victories, each with an average of more than 100 points.

It could be the same this time if he follows his triumphs in 2014, 2017 and 2019 with a fourth.

"It feels phenomenal, it means a lot to me," said van Gerwen.

In the semi-final against van den Bergh there were again antics from both sides.

"I don't know what his problem was.

You have to focus on your own game.

He lost the game, so he had to say something,” said van Gerwen, describing the inconsistencies in the rhythm of the game. 

The final is not only about 500,000 pounds (around 565,000 euros) and the 25-kilogram Sid Waddell Trophy, but also about the status as number one in the world.

Whoever wins in “Ally Pally” replaces the Welshman Gerwyn Price, who failed due to Clemens, as Primus.