Michael Smith: Former world champion opens up on personal struggles in torrid 2025 ahead of Grand Slam of Darts qualification Former world champion Michael Smith opens up on mental and physical anguish after qualifying for the 2025 Grand Slam of Darts; watch the Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts live on Sky Sports from November 8-16 at the WV Active Aldersley, Wolverhampton Monday 3 November 2025 11:43, UK Image: Former world champion Michael Smith opens up on mental and physical anguish after qualifying for the 2025 Grand Slam of Darts Michael Smith has revealed he was “crying in bed” days before qualifying for the Grand Slam of Darts.The 2023 world champion booked his ticket to the major event in Wolverhampton – live on Sky Sports from November 8 to 16 – on Friday. Qualification saw Smith draw an emphatic line under a torrid 2025 beset by arthritis and wrist, shoulder and foot injuries.Michael Smith qualifies for Grand Slam of DartsLatest darts schedule and results: TV majors and moreGot Sky?
Watch on the Sky Sports app 📱Not got Sky? Get instant access with NOW 📺Having slid out of the world’s top 16 and missed out on the Premier League, World Matchplay and World Grand Prix, Smith returns to the scene of his 2022 Grand Slam triumph hoping to kick-start his career once more.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Michael Smith was overwhelmed by emotion on the 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 can’t walk, to then winning the qualifiers today felt unreal.
“I don’t show what I’ve been doing in the practice room but some of my game came out to play. And my emotions certainly did.” Also See: When is darts live on Sky Sports?
Stream darts and more with NOW Latest darts highlights and video Listen to the Love the Darts podcast Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Michael Smith ended his PDC major jinx as he held aloft the Eric Bristow trophy following his convincing 16-5 win ‘Plenty of time to fight back”Bully Boy’ Smith has suffered 19 first-round exits on the ProTour in 2025 and faces the prospect of finishing the year title-less for the first time since 2019.But with qualification for the PDC World Darts Championship still up for grabs through to the end of the year, Smith remains focused on proving his doubters wrong. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Watch how, in 2023, Wayne Mardle and Stuart Pyke reacted to the sensational leg between Michael van Gerwen and Michael Smith in the World Championship Final that culminated in a nine-darter for Bully Boy “I didn’t have the greatest results but if you saw my games I had a couple of 96 averages and a 101 average,” he told Darts Corner.
“Even one of the matches I lost with a 96 I had a first-nine average of 124.”So, it’s just the winning bit now that is doing my head in. For me now, it is about getting to the World Championship.
All I have to do is win three or four games and then I am back in the top 10.”For me, it’s just get there, get myself back on TV, get back playing well – because I know I will do it.”You have some ex-pros saying I’m gone, but they’ve tried it and quit and become commentators. I am only 35, so I’ve got plenty of time to fight back.”Sky Sports will once again be the home of the Premier League, World Cup of Darts, World Matchplay, World Grand Prix, Grand Slam of Darts and World Darts Championship!
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Source: Sky Sports
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