Mark Webster: Michael Smith is ‘not going to stop’ after taking World Darts Championship crown | There are ‘more titles to come’ | Darts News

Mark Webster

Darts Expert & Columnist

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Mark Webster believes Michael Smith will could go on a trophy-laden run after a sensational 7-4 victory over Michael van Gerwen at the PDC World Darts Championship.

It was tipped to be a final to remember and Smith and Van Gerwen didn’t disappoint, ‘Bully Boy’ finally securing the win he has always wanted with a near-faultless performance against ‘Mighty Mike’, with an incredible nine-dart finish plus four consecutive legs on the spin putting him in the driving seat.

Although Van Gerwen showed his steel to force an 11th set, Smith fought back and took out a 106 finish before pinning the D8 to finally take home the Sid Waddell Trophy at the third time of asking and claim the World No 1 spot.

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Michael Smith produced a phenomenal final leg to win the World Championship Final against Michael van Gerwen.

With Smith having now secured two title wins in the space of two months after winning the Grand Slam of Darts in November, Mark Webster believes the St Helens man is “not going to stop” and more trophies will surely be on the cards.

“He deserves it. It is a credit to him. He is the one person we thought could match Michael van Gerwen at the present time and he proved it there.

“He has gone away and learnt from those defeats. He has gone away and made himself stronger… and better equipped to win a major title.

“When Michael van Gerwen came back at him, he weathered the storm, and more titles surely to come.

“He has found the knack now of winning these games and World No 1 to go with it.

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Michael Smith lifted the Sid Waddell trophy after beating Michael van Gerwen in the World Championship Final.

“A brilliant achievement for Smith and he works so hard on his game, he is so natural, is great to watch, and he will be a great world champion.

“He has played a great tournament Michael Smith, obviously winning it, but there were some matches where he had to dig in and he has done it and he showed every sort of level of performance he has got.

“He has played a brilliant event and capped it off in the best manner by winning a World Championship.

“He has grown as a player in the past few years and I don’t think he is going to stop.”

The nine-darter ‘changed the game’

“We watched it in the press room and there was an absolute eruption in there but nowhere near what there was in the arena.

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Watch how 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.

“That changed the course of a world final for Michael Smith.

“Just when Van Gerwen was starting to get into control, he missed it himself, and it was just an incredible passage of play.

“They are two players that compliment each other. Two players going at the same pace so the legs just flew by.

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Michael van Gerwen was one dart away from a nine-darter before Michael Smith completed the achievement in the World Championship Final.

“It was just incredible to watch. He has experienced everything in this event.

“He just backs himself and he knows he is one of the top players.

“He just didn’t wilt in that final and he is there in tears now but it is tears of joy and he deserves it.”

One of the ‘greatest finals ever’ | We will see MVG vs Smith again

“It has got to be up there (as one of the greatest finals ever), solely because of that nine-dart leg and because of the way they both played as well throughout.

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Take a look back at the 2023 World Championship as Michael Smith was crowned the winner.

“Michael Smith obviously getting over the line but [it’s] a setback for Michael van Gerwen. I expect to see him come again and more finals for these two.

“He has been like that for a while now. Any sort of setback, not just tonight but throughout the tournament.

“Not every game has been to his fluent best and he has had to battle but he has kept his demeanour going and there has been no sulking or head shaking- he just gets on with it.

“This has been in his game for the past couple of years and he is finally reaping the rewards.”

The new Premier League Darts season will begin at the SSE Arena in Belfast on Thursday, February 2, the first of 17 individual venues to host the 2023 Premier League, which will be staged on Thursday nights from February to May – live on Sky Sports!