MICHAEL SMITH broke down in tears after his first TV win for eight months, saying it “p*****me off” watching others succeed in his absence.
Bully Boy – who became champion of the world in January 2023 – has hardly played this year due to crippling and painful shoulder and foot injuries as well as the complication of having arthritis in his throwing hand.
Saturday night’s 5-3 Grand Slam group-stage win over Nathan Aspinall, in which he averaged just 88.21, was one of the most emotional experiences of his life.
In a Dutch TV interview conducted as soon as he came off stage, the waterworks flowed and emotions came out for the 35-year-old.
And he explained why, the competitor inside of him, had felt anguished and annoyed watching the best darts events on his television from his sofa.
His last TV appearance had been in the UK Open in March when he made the quarter-finals where he lost to Jonny Clayton.
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Smith, a father-of-two, said: “It’s been a long road, it’s been a battle.
“Just everything. Injuries, life itself. To get up there, to win that match is a bit emotional and I’m just glad to get over the line.
“I can’t go worse than that. Nathan should have won that. I saw his reaction walking off and then obviously coming upstairs to the practice room, I saw his reaction again.
“He should have won that 5-0, easy. I just hung in there and I got the job done in the end.
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“I’ve always been a fighter, so to be back on stage and winning matches, that’s what means the most to me.
“I just want to be competing. I’m sick of sitting at home watching people win tournaments and I’m sat at home. It p***** me off.
“S*** happens, I guess.
“Winning matches, that’s who I’m about. That’s Michael Smith – not sitting at home. Being on big stages listening to the crowds, that’s me.
“I think I made the semis of the UK Open once with a hole in my leg.
“I broke both my hands when I was 19. Had casts for five months and then when I got them taken off, within two weeks I won my first ProTour.
“I’m a fighter, that’s it. I’ll be back, don’t worry.”
