SMITH REVEALS SIMPLE WEIGHT LOSS SECRET AHEAD OF ASPINALL STAG DO

ROSS SMITH reckons he has already lost a “pound” ahead of Nathan Aspinall’s stag do by simply not looking at burgers.

The former European champion was all smiles after beating Niels Zonneveld 6-3 to reach round three of the Austrian Darts Open with a brilliant 102.02 average. 

Smudger admits he is trying to trim down ahead of his close pal’s pre wedding party by cutting out fast food.

He said: “Well, I’m trying to lose a bit of weight like Chris Dobey. 

“I think I’ve lost about a pound and that’s just by not looking at burgers. 

“But no, I’m really looking forward to it. 

“I can’t believe I’m doing an interview about Nathan Aspinall’s stag do instead of darts, Jesus Christ. 

“But yeah, we’re all looking forward to it. We’ll have a good laugh and it should be a good trip.” 

Smith has enjoyed a strong start to the season, winning Players Championship Five and reaching the final of the European Darts Grand Prix before losing to Gerwyn Price. 

But the Dover thrower admitted he was frustrated after suffering a fourth defeat in a Euro Tour final. 

He added: “Very disappointed. I wasn’t proud of it. Far from it. 

“Four finals now without getting over the line isn’t good enough. At some point, you’ve got to win one.

“But it is what it is. I can’t change what’s happened.

“I feel like in the three finals before that, I probably could have won them as well. 

“No disrespect to the opponents because they’d probably say the same thing. But we move on. 

“You can’t change the past, only the future.  

“You do try and learn. Like I said before, you can’t control what the other player does and sometimes it’s just not meant to be.

“It’s also a very tiring day when you make a final. It’s long and it can take a lot out of you. 

“Maybe there are little things you can improve, like boosting your energy levels a bit more, but sometimes you can overthink it. 

“Sometimes you’ve just got to get on with it, enjoy it and accept that it either goes for you or it doesn’t. 

“So I’m looking forward to this weekend.” 

Smith also spoke about the drawbacks of sitting just inside the top 16, including tough draws at majors like the World Matchplay, where he could face Luke Littler in round two. 

He continued: “Not really. It’s hit or miss, isn’t it? 

“If I go in at number 16 and win my first game, I’ve probably got Luke Littler next. 

“But then if you qualify through the ProTour side and look at the Top 16 seeds, they’re all amazing players as well. 

“To be honest, no matter which side you’re on, everyone is dangerous.

“I don’t really worry too much about who I’m playing. 

“I’ve said it many times, I just concentrate on my own game because I can’t control what my opponent does. 

“So yeah, it’s all about focusing on me.”