2023 Grand Slam of Darts preview: Michael Smith readying to defend his first Major trophy
The darts circuit has been hotting up as we near the final few majors on the calendar. Michael Smith heads into the Major looking to defend his 2022 title.
We’re taking a look ahead to the Grand Slam, hosted in Wolverhampton, and as we go into it, there’s arguably the most open field of competition there has ever been.
We’re taking a look ahead to the Grand Slam, hosted in Wolverhampton, and as we go into it, there’s arguably the most open field of competition there has ever been.
Transcript
00:00 It's a great one. It's an interesting one. Obviously, it always used to be kind of the
00:05 PDC versus the BDO, so to speak. And I saw a few shocks on the as like Scott weights
00:11 one the full thing, you know, BDO player and that was a bit of a shock, but it really does
00:16 give those kind of yelling up and come and play as a real chance to take mix it into
00:20 the big boys and the shocks all around in the group. You know, that's what the group
00:24 is. It throws up that opportunity to throw up one or two shocks. Yeah, it's always interesting.
00:31 Michael Smith opened his account of major trophies so far at the Grand Slam of darts
00:36 last year. He then went on to win the World Championship in December to become the new
00:41 world number one as the odds for bully boy to win both were around 300 to one before
00:47 the tournament. He'll be looking to defend both of his titles starting here in the West
00:52 Midlands. I think everyone wants to hit form at this time of the year. Easier said than
00:58 done, I suppose. But obviously, no, last year, Michael Smith, he kicked right on, didn't
01:02 he? You know, he won this Grand Slam, his first sort of major tournament and then went
01:06 on to win the World Championship pretty, you know, pretty comfortably in the end, obviously.
01:10 So as I say, it really does give those players a good opportunity. But there's a lot of tournaments
01:15 at this time of the year. So I think they will be looking to me the most of it. One
01:19 of the most entertaining tournaments on the darting calendar last year saw the emerging
01:24 star Josh Rock strike perfection against Michael Van Gerwen in a blockbuster match to become
01:30 just the fifth player to hit a nine darter on the Grand Slam stage and the first for
01:35 four years. Throughout the entire year, the darts field of competitors has been as open
01:41 as ever. World champ, world number one and now defending Grand Slam champion Michael
01:46 Smith has experienced a very inconsistent year on the tour. Three time winner Michael
01:51 Van Gerwen has seen some poor moments throughout the year, despite winning a record seventh
01:57 Premier League title with Gary Anderson returning to the tournament and Luke Humphries on fine
02:02 form. It could again be anyone's year. But yeah, obviously Peter Wright won the European
02:08 Championship last weekend, and I think that gives another sort of name into the hat to
02:12 someone who's not really been playing too well recently. So as you say, plenty, plenty
02:18 names in the mix and I think plenty opportunity for a shot as well. I would like Michael Smith
02:23 to defend his title. I think he's kind of really staked his claim last year in this
02:28 tournament and I think I would like to see that. But yeah, he's got a tough group. I
02:33 would like to see Matt Van Gerwen in the final as well. I think he's had a few tournaments
02:40 where he's been there or thereabouts, but not quite made it over the line. So I think
02:43 probably Michael Smith or Michael Van Gerwen will be my two favourites, but obvious choices
02:48 I suppose. With no out and out favourite heading to Wolverhampton, but more guaranteed drama,
02:55 it's set to be another fantastic tournament and could set an idea of proceedings at the
03:00 World Championships at the end of the year.
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