Smith after match against Van den Bergh: "Somehow I didn't want to beat him so as not to disappoint the audience, but I did it anyway"

Although Michael Smith may have brought about an end to Dimitri Van den Bergh's hopes of success in front of his compatriots at the Belgian Darts Open, 'Bully Boy' was full of praise for his fellow Premier League star.

“It was really unreal actually," Smith explained following the match-up in which he prevailed with a 102 average against Van den Bergh. “I came on stage expecting to be booed, with all the trimmings. But they just sang along and also gave me a lot of respect during the game itself. This is one of the best crowds I've ever played for. Very respectful."

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"That I just felt bad beating Dimitri in front of my own people? A little maybe. You know, I often play in my hometown of England. Dimitri only gets one chance in a year to do that, so you want to shine," he continues. "So it was difficult to play against him. Somehow I didn't want to beat him so as not to disappoint the audience, but I did it anyway. I also have to think about myself, of course. So I had mixed feelings.”

Whilst Smith has been thriving in recent weeks taking back-to-back Premier League night wins, Van den Bergh has found wins harder to come by. "He's changed his style a bit. For this, Dimi tried to slow down the pace. You know, blowing into his hands, calming down. But now he's started darting faster again," Smith explains trying to reason with the Belgian's drop in form.

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"I don't know if that has to do with the fact that he's in the Premier League. They want fast and spectacular players, and Dimitri hasn't really been that way in recent years," he continues. "He's an excellent player, don't get me wrong, but his break in style hasn't worked. I don't know if he will change back now, but you know… Dimi is Dimi. That is to say: without a doubt one of the best players in the world. It doesn't matter how you play against him, fast or slow. And in the end it's about what he wants, not what others want. Hopefully he gets out because the darts needs Dimitri, it's that simple."