Michael Smith battling for one of the final two Premier League play-off spots, currently sat fifth in the table on 22 points, two behind Michael van Gerwen in fourth; watch Premier League Darts on Sky Sports, with Finals Night on Thursday May 23
Michael Smith won his first ranking title in 11 months as he beat Ryan Joyce in the final of the Players Championship 9 final in Hildesheim on Monday.
The 2023 world champion had not tasted victory on the circuit since winning PC13 in June 2023 and had reached only one semi-final this year.
However, he scooped the £15,000 ProTour title with an 8-6 victory over Joyce to become the ninth different winner in as many Players Championship events this year.
2024 Players Championship 9: Monday results
Last 16 Ryan Joyce 6-5 Dave Chisnall
Chris Dobey 6-2 Robert Grundy
Callan Rydz 6-3 Scott Williams
Ritchie Edhouse 6-0 Andrew Gilding
Michael Smith 6-0 Richard Veenstra
Luke Woodhouse 6-1 Patrick Geeraets
Krzysztof Ratajski 6-4 Kevin Doets
Stephen Bunting 6-4 Gian van Veen
Quarter-Finals Ryan Joyce 6-4 Chris Dobey
Ritchie Edhouse 6-5 Callan Rydz
Michael Smith 6-3 Luke Woodhouse
Krzysztof Ratajski 6-4 Stephen Bunting
Semi-Finals Ryan Joyce 7-4 Ritchie Edhouse
Michael Smith 7-4 Krzysztof Ratajski
Final Michael Smith 8-6 Ryan Joyce
Smith’s run to the title included whitewashes of Adam Hunt and Richard Veenstra and ton-plus averages of 106 and 110 against Jonny Clayton and Luke Woodhouse respectively.
He also defeated Oskar Lukasiak and Krzysztof Ratajski in the event, before battling his way to the title against Joyce.
Joyce’s run to the final included defeats of former world champion Raymond van Barneveld, top seed Dave Chisnall and former Masters winner Chris Dobey, before he saw off Ritchie Edhouse in the semi-finals.
Joyce had found himself 3-1 down early in the final, but turned the game on its head with a four-leg burst to lead 5-3 before Smith responded with three straight legs of his own to wrestle back the advantage.
I’ve finally got my name back in that winner’s circle again and I’m over the moon,” said Smith after his win.
“It’s been hard. I was so far behind but if he was going to keep giving me chances, I had to take them.
“An 88 average in a final is not good, but it’s my first title in nearly 12 months.”
Luke Littler, after his fourth nightly win in Aberdeen last Thursday, and reigning world champion Luke Humphries have already qualified for the final night at London’s O2 Arena on Thursday, May 23
Nathan Aspinall and Michael van Gerwen are clinging on to the final two places in the top four at the moment, but Smith and, to a lesser extent, Rob Cross have a chance of chasing them down.
Just three points separate Aspinall (25), Van Gerwen (24) and Smith (22), with Cross seven behind fourth-placed Van Gerwen after finishing runner-up to th
e in-form Littler on Night 13 in Aberdeen.
