Former world champion Michael Smith silenced the whistlers to win the opening night of Premier League darts, denying teenage sensation Luke Littler and Gerwyn Prince on his way to victory.
The St Helens star denied seven-time Premier League champion Michael van Gerwen, 17-year-old Littler, home favourite Price as well as a volatile Cardiff crowd to cap off a wonderful performance in the Welsh capital and claim maximum points.
Smith began the night by edging out reigning champion Van Gerwen in a last-leg decider before denying Littler a spot in the final by winning another tight encounter 6-5. Smith completed a remarkable win by hammering 2023 runner-up Price in the final.
Smith had punished a poor deciding-leg from Van Gerwen to prevail in the evening’s third quarter-final, before defying six 180s and a 105 average from Littler to set up a showdown against Price.
The Welshman – a runner-up in last year’s Premier League – drew first blood in the final with a clinical 80 finish on tops, before Smith responded with a three-leg burst to seize control of the contest at 3-1.
Smith continued his charge with consecutive 120 and 107 combinations to move to the cusp of glory and he capped off a dominant display with a 13-darter to round off a statement performance.
“I’m really happy to win,” admitted Smith, who finished second in last year’s league phase. “My game wasn’t where I would love it to be, but winning is winning and I love to do it.
“I think Night 15 in last year’s Premier League was my last win on tour, so after six months of hard work, it does feel really satisfying to get that momentum going again.
“My scoring wasn’t at its best, but I was putting everything together at the right time, when I needed it the most, and that was my statement to myself tonight.”
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Smith said he was ‘sorry he won’ in Cardiff after he was whistled on a number of occasions during his match against Littler
Littler produced two ton-topping averages on his Premier League bow, avenging his World Championship defeat to Luke Humphries with a resounding 6-2 victory in the quarter-finals, in doing so becoming the first player to win a Premier League match on debut in 10 years, as the constant whistling in the crowd put Humphries off his rhythm throughout the contest.
The World Youth Champion also impressed in an absorbing semi-final showdown against Smith, rallying from 4-2 down with legs of 12, 14 and 13 darts before losing out in a dramatic finale.
Humphries later took to social media to vent his anger at the crowd, saying: “So sorry tonight guys. Was so looking forward to playing in the amazing city off Cardiff. I was gutted with the whistling, but I know that I have to learn to get better at that! Well done Luke Littler for a fantastic debut game! I will work hard for the rest of the tournament.”
Price was unable to make it back-to-back nightly wins in Cardiff, but he walked away with three points courtesy of wins over Nathan Aspinall and Rob Cross.
What’s next?
Michael van Gerwen is aiming to win an eighth Premier League title
Premier League Darts now heads to the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin on Thursday February 8 as Price and Smith collide in a repeat of tonight’s final on Night Two at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin.
Elsewhere, Littler and Cross lock horns, Van Gerwen takes on Aspinall in the evening’s opener, while Humphries and Wright also collide.
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Premier League Darts continues on Sky Sports on Thursday, February 8 as Berlin is the next stop on the 17-week extravaganza all the way through to the Play-Offs at the O2 Arena in London on Thursday, May 23. Stream Sky Sports Darts without a contract through NOW