"I was absolutely rubbish" - Michael Smith gives scathing assessment of his performance despite making it two wins from two in Grand Slam group stage

Michael Smith continued to winning run in Grand Slam of Darts group stage matches. Last year's tournament winner has now won 18 straight group matches in Wolverhampton.

Although Smith emerged a 5-4 winner from his tie with Krzysztof Ratajski, it's fair to say he wasn't totally impressed by his own performance.

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"I was absolutely rubbish. I want to apologise to everyone that had to watch that, I'm really sorry," Smith began his post-match interview on stage with Sky Sports. "I just struggled. That first leg, I went out in 20 then the third leg I think it was 19. That 170 gave me a little kick up the backside that I needed thankfully. A win is a win so I'll take it."

Having finally managed to cross the line in a TV major at the Grand Slam of Darts twelve months ago, Smith has fond memories of Wolverhampton. "It's like being a kid again," he says of returning. "I know what I can do in these legs. I can go 12, 12, 12 all day long but unfortunately that didn't happen tonight."

"But I love it here because it's a straight race until you get to the last sixteen, then it's first to 10. There, even if you go three-nil down, you're not in trouble. Three-nil down in the group stages you're bang in trouble then," he concludes. "For the last three or four weeks practice has been really good with Nathan (Aspinall ed.), but it's one of them. Luckily enough I held my nerve at the end."

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