World Matchplay: Michael Smith aiming to take advantage of 'biggest chance' at TV major
Watch the final two quarter-finals on Friday night from 7pm on Sky Sports Action, featuring Glen Durrant vs Vincent van der Voort and Adrian Lewis vs Dimitri Van den Bergh
Friday 24 July 2020 20:38, UK
Michael Smith is two games away from claiming an elusive maiden title at a televised major after overcoming a resolute Krzysztof Ratajski in the quarter-finals of the World Matchplay.
Bully Boy will now face his good friend Gary Anderson in the final four as he looks to go one better in 2020 having lost to Rob Cross in last year's final.
The 29-year-old spent four hours on the practice board prior to Thursday night's match, this being an opportunity he is eager to take advantage of.
"This one I want," he said. "I want every TV event, it's just I know I've got the biggest chance I could think of.
"I think I'm the highest seed left in and I just don't want to ruin that chance. I know I've got a really tough game tomorrow and then hopefully I'm back for the final and it would be nice to get that first title."
Smith fired 13 maximums in the match and saw his scoring power leave Ratajski to play catch up for much of the night, however sloppy errors threatened to prove costly when The Polish Eagle was able to capitalise on multiple occasions with some expert finishing.
"I was more annoyed when I think I was 8-7 down," he added. "The legs he was winning I was giving so many chances away and I kept doing it. I was leaving like 161 and then hitting no trebles and he'd hit a big score.
"I was leaving myself not too much to do, but it should be a lot easier so I'm just glad to crawl over the line there in the end.
"I'm happy with my scoring but in every leg I hit a really dodgy score like a 60 or a 58 and it gave him a chance every time. I knew if I could just keep on top of him and keep scoring the way I can he wouldn't be able to keep up and he couldn't until I gave him the chance and he got straight back in."
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His experience paid dividends in the end, Smith displaying superb mental stamina to recover from missed opportunities in knowledge of the nature of the format.
"That format is the best one, first to 16. I just knew, I kept saying in my head 'win the sessions 3-2, 3-2' but I lost the third session I think which put him in front and that annoyed me but I still knew he had to win eight legs to get the match.
"Luckily I came out in the fourth session and everything was going in, 180, 140 and then I missed a nine-darter the leg after, so I just knew I had it in me."
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Anderson similarly explained he was 'happy to get over the line' after resisting a fight back from Simon Whitlock to book his place in the semi-finals.
The Flying Scotsman found himself 10-6 up at one stage, only for Whitlock to reel off four straight legs and level the scores heading into the final session.
It wasn't to be for the Australian though, with leg 26 proving key as Anderson secured a timely break of throw to make it 14-12 before going on to wrap up the match two legs later.
"When they go well it's great but when it doesn't go well you make the odd mistake and Simon does what he does, he punishes you big time then you can't get rid of him, he's on your tail end all the time," said Anderson. "Over the line, happy with that.
"Just concentration. Once I concentrate I'm alright but 99 percent of the time my head's with the fairies but we'll see what happens.
"That's how Simon plays, he's been one of the top players for many years. You give him one shot at the bull and he did it quite a few times, he hits it. Pain in the backside."
Darts is back on Sky Sports in July and August, with nine days of coverage from the World Matchplay followed by the six-day Premier League resumption which gets underway on Tuesday August 25.
