RAMPANT ROSS SMITH WINS PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP 16
13/05/2025 By Aaron Nijjar
ROSS SMITH claimed the Players Championship 16 title after he beat Brendan Dolan 8-0 in the final.
Former European champion Smith smashed in TWO nine-darters and won 24 consecutive legs on the way to securing his SIXTH PDC senior title.
The Dover ace broke the Dolan throw in the opening leg of the match with an 18-darter after he smashed in double 12.
Smith found his power scoring in the third leg as he chucked in two 180s and secured yet another break of throw by taking out 41 to extend his lead to 3-0.
‘Smudger’ averaged 104.56 and hit 57 percent of his doubles to whitewash Dolan.
Following his victory, Smith revealed he didn’t think he played well in Hildesheim!
He said: “I don’t think I played that well today. I feel like sometimes luck is on your side.
“The nine-darters are great but I think they are a bit overrated.
“I know I have not dropped a leg in the last three games, but I feel like the guys here have not turned up to be fair.
“I feel like I got a bit lucky in these games to be fair. So I am just happy with the win.”
Five-time ProTour event winner Smith admitted he now wants to add more major accolades to his cabinet.
He added: “I’ve got the little plaques at home with the scoresheets from my Players Championship wins. They’re my little trophies, and they mean a lot to me.
“I’m going to add another one to the wall today, and it’s another incentive when I’m at home practising, because I want to win all the time; who doesn’t?
“I know I can be one of the best in the world. Consistency is a big thing, but I know I can win tournaments on a regular basis.
“I don’t want to be somebody who ends up retiring in ten years and thinks oh I have won one major and be called a one-hit wonder as they say.
“I don’t want that. I want at least two, three or four. I want to keep going and that’s what I will do.
“If you’ve won a major you can win anything and I honestly believe I will win another so long may it continue.”
World No. 17 Smith pinned his first perfect leg of the day in his opening bout as he cruised to a 6-3 win over Dylan Slevin.
Third seed Smith took out a stellar 121 checkout and averaged a super 105.64 to overcome Steve Lennon 6-2 in the last 64.
Smith repeated the nine-dart feat in a 6-3 triumph against Chris Landman to advance into the quarter-final.
The 36-year-old defeated Danny Noppert 6-0 in the last eight.
Smith then dispatched Luke Woodhouse 7-0 in the semi-final with a magnificent 105.21 average.
Image by Taylor Lanning.
