“I had my headphones on at about 75% volume and I still said to him mate, it’s louder than this": Michael Smith remarked intense UK Open multi-board atmosphere to Gerwyn Price

For Michael Smith, his match on the opening day of the UK Open was all about survival. The Englishman was the first to admit his level was well below expectations, but in the end there was a win on the board — and that is what matters most for now.

Smith is currently in the midst of a long search for his old top level. The former world champion has shown tentative signs of recovery in recent months, but the road back to the elite remains difficult. Still, he believes the signs are positive as he moves through at the UK Open.

After his 10–8 victory over Leon Weber in the fourth round, Smith was frank about his performance. “Of course it wasn’t what I wanted,” he admitted post match including to DartsNews.com. “But it’s about going to the next round and being in the hat for Saturday morning. That’s the main thing.”

The difference between his stage performance and his practice form frustrated him. “Going from what I’ve been doing on the practice floor and then doing that all day on stage is weird. It’s annoying. When I get back to the hotel I’ll try to take it as a positive, but right now it’s more like: at least I’m in the next round.”

Like every year, many matches at the UK Open are played on the so-called outer boards — smaller stages where fans stand close to the players. According to Smith, the atmosphere there was intense. “It was louder than that,” he said. “When Gezzy walked out they were all singing his name. I had my headphones on at about 75% volume and I still said to him, ‘Mate, it’s louder than this.’ The noise was unreal in there.”

Despite the chaotic surroundings, Smith managed to get the job done and progress to the next round.

Although his match against Weber was far from convincing, Smith insists his overall form is improving. “When I first started throwing again I was nearly back to the level from when I first started playing darts,” he explained. “But now I’m back averaging around 95 or 96 on the practice board and I’ve even had a couple of 100 averages.”

Those improvements are beginning to show in competition too. “I’ve qualified for two European Tours and in Poland I got to the quarter-finals. So things are going in the right direction.”

Still, the match against Weber left him puzzled. “When I play that game against Weber it’s a bit weird because I don’t want it to set me back because of how bad I played. I just want to stay positive and keep focused. I’m still winning games even though I’m playing like that.”

For Smith, the biggest challenge is currently mental.

“There’s four points either way,” he explained. “When I play bad I need to put four points on the bad game and four points on the good game as well.”

He pointed out that even his poor performances used to be at a higher level.

“When I played bad a couple of years ago I was still averaging 95 or 96. Now it can be 87 or 82, so I need to get those averages back up.”

Another obstacle has been physical problems. Smith has struggled with ankle and shoulder issues, forcing him to reduce his practice time.

“I’m doing about three and a half hours now,” he said. “When I was world champion I was doing six or seven hours.”

The issue is not only the number of hours, but the interruptions.

“I could be in the practice room for five and a half hours but only do three and a half hours of throwing. My ankle seizes up and my shoulder gets stiff, so I’ve got to stop and take breaks. Before I could just practise non-stop.”

Despite the difficulties, Smith has chosen not to seek outside help. “If I’m going to come back, I want to do it myself,” he said firmly. “I don’t want anyone getting credit for it. It’s me and my family that do the work.”

The injections he previously received for his ankle have helped, but the issue still flares up occasionally.

“My ankle’s still a bit sore sometimes, especially after travelling,” he explained. “Yesterday we had a five-hour drive down here and you’re just sat there and can’t really move your legs.”

Once he gets moving, however, the problem eases. “When I’m actually throwing, I don’t really feel any pain.”

Smith knows what it is like to be at the top of the sport, having won the PDC World Darts Championship in 2023. Now he finds himself in a different role: chasing the top again.

“I might be ranked around 30 now instead of fourth like I was before, but I’m still the same person,” he said.

He also reminded reporters that he has bounced back from setbacks before.

“I’ve lost two world finals, a Premier League final, a Matchplay final and a European Tour final. I’ve had tough moments before and I kept bouncing back.”

Despite reaching a final and a semi-final at the UK Open in the past, Smith admits the tournament is not necessarily one of his favourites. “The only thing that stands out about this tournament is the five-hour drive,” he laughed. “When you come to the UK Open or the Players Championship Finals it’s always freezing, sometimes snowing or raining.”

He also acknowledged that luck can play a role in Minehead. “It’s one of those tournaments where it’s all about the luck of the draw. To be fair, I had a bit of luck tonight.”

For the rest of the tournament, Smith is keeping his goals straightforward. “I just want to make it difficult for my opponent,” he said.

For him, competing again at the highest level is about more than simply winning. “Losing is part of the game and winning is part of the game, but I don’t want to lose easily. I want to make it as hard as possible for whoever I’m playing. When I’m doing that, that’s when I know I’m competing again.”