Smith back to winning ways with his first title in eleven months at Players Championship 9

Smith back to winning ways with his first title in eleven months at Players Championship 9

In the Players Championship 9 final on Monday in Hildesheim, Michael Smith struck back to defeat Ryan Joyce and capture his first ranking title in eleven months.

The BetMGM Premier League player had only made it to one semi-final this year and had not seen success on the circuit since winning PC13 in June 2023.

But with his victory on Monday at Halle 39, he took home the £15,000 ProTour title and made history by becoming the ninth different winner in as many Players Championship events this year.

During his ascent to the title, Smith defeated Adam Hunt and Richard Veenstra and amassed tons-plus averages of 110 against Luke Woodhouse and Jonny Clayton, respectively.

In the competition, he also triumphed over Oskar Lukasiak and Krzysztof Ratajski, before facing Joyce in the final to win the title.

Early in the final, Joyce of Newcastle trailed 3-1, but he responded with a four-leg run that saw him take the lead 5-3. After making up for Smith’s misses in leg five, Joyce used the throw to win legs 12 and 13.

Smith regained the lead with three consecutive legs of his own, and the 2023 World Champion advanced 6-5 with a 12-darter.

Leg 12 saw Joyce tie the score, but Smith responded with a critical top six to take the lead again, and double eight finished the 14-darter to win.

“I’ve finally got my name back in that winner’s circle again and I’m over the moon,” said Smith.

“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.”

Smith will return to the Premier League stage in Leeds on Thursday, as he continues his bid to secure a Play-Off place.

He added: “It’s full focus for tomorrow and hopefully I win it again so I’ll be flying home on Wednesday, and then [Leeds] is where my focus will be.

“It’s in my own hands now, I’m two points behind Michael [van Gerwen] and three behind Nathan [Aspinall]. Wednesday I’ll start thinking about Thursday night.”

Joyce also experienced his finest run of 2024, making it to the championship round for the first time since taking home the Players Championship 26 title in October.

Before defeating Ritchie Edhouse in the semi-finals, he defeated top seed Dave Chisnall, past Masters champion Chris Dobey, and former World Champion Raymond van Barneveld on his way to the championship.

After defeating former UK Open champion Andrew Gilding and defeating Callan Rydz in the quarterfinals of the European Tour last month in Germany, Edhouse advanced to the final four on Monday.

Ratajski’s performance in the semi-finals, which included a 104.58 average in his quarter-final victory over Masters champion Stephen Bunting, was his finest on-court performance since winning the German Darts Open in September.

During the event, Chisnall, Van Barneveld, Dobey, and Dutchman Danny van Trijp all produced averages of 105 or above, as did Daryl Gurney in the first round of the tournament.

2024 Players Championship 9

Monday May 6, Halle 39, Hildesheim

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