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Ross Smith has enjoyed a new lease on life in recent months. Him landing an elusive major triumph back in October has created a spark, with him now showing more emotion on the oche and interacting with the crowd more than he used to.
Smith was hurling his personalised shirts into the audience during his walk-on and taking selfies with fans after his debut match at the Masters, and those are all attributes needed for someone to be selected for the darting extravaganza that is the upcoming Premier League.
The 34-year-old from Dover overcame soon-to-be world champion Michael Smith in the European Championship final last season, and that success as well as his valiant exploits at the World Championship have moved him onto the cusp of the world’s top 16.
Smith being one of the sport’s current major champions automatically puts him into the Premier League equation, which remains in the balance despite the 17-week tournament getting on the road on Thursday evening in Belfast.
Smith survived match darts against Australian number one Damon Heta in his Masters opener, and possible Premier League selection was certainly on his mind in his post-match press conference.
“I want to be in the Premier League at the end of the day, I’m not going to stand here and lie about that. I know exactly what you’re on about and I want to be in it,” an honest Smith expressed.
“There’s been four major winners in the last year and I’m one of them. I would feel hard done by if I’m not in it. I want to be in it – it would be a dream come true.
“I know that I need to knuckle down as well for the rest of this tournament. Forget about [being in the Premier League] – I want to knuckle down and actually win this one. But I’ve got to improve my game a lot more.”
Smith was unable to reach the quarter-finals of any of the other majors last season aside from his European Championship triumph, with this weekend’s Masters being crucial. But does Smith believe that he’s already done enough to be selected?
“I don’t know. Pundits don’t think I have – some do, some don’t,” Smith added. “A lot of people feel like I have. I would be hard done by if I’m not in but again it’s not my decision at the end of the day.
“If you’re going to pick people, then it’s going to be people who haven’t won anything [major titles] this year and I have. You going to pick five or six players who haven’t won a major?
“I want to be in it – I’m not going to lie and fingers crossed I am. I’ve got to produce more in the next game and so on. But again it’s out of my hands and I can only do my best up there.”
Only two players have won major accolades and not been selected for the Premier League for the following season, with the 2021 European champion Rob Cross joining Paul Nicholson in that unwanted circle.
Smith renews rivalries with his namesake Michael, the current world champion and world number one, on Saturday evening for a place in only his third televised quarter-final.
