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‘Greatest stage of all time!’: Darts fans hail Michael Smith’s sensational nine darts on his way to World Championship title victory, while taking advantage of Michael van Gerwen narrowly missing out on the rare feat just seconds before.
Michael Smith sealed his maiden World Darts Championship title on Tuesday night with a 7-4 victory over Michael van Gerwen.
In addition to going down in history for the result, there was a particularly special moment in the third leg of the second set.
The Dutch number 1 had a chance to pull off a nine-dart finish, but narrowly missed his final shot in Double 12.
Michael Smith (L) launched a perfect leg, much to the frustration of Michael van Gerwen, who missed his
Bully Boy then stepped in to capitalize on van Gerwen’s mistake and covered his own perfect leg in just nine pitches. The PDC Darts Twitter page hailed him: “BEST LEG EVER!”
Sky Sports commentator Wayne Mardle agreed. He stated: ‘That’s the most amazing darts leg you’ll ever see… I can’t speak. I can not speak.
Speaking about his nine-dart finish after the match, Smith said: “I was hitting 180, 180 in practice and missing, so I thought I’d give the crowd what they deserve.” I got a magic nine and it was good.
Smith said he gave the crowd ‘what they deserve’ by nailing his nine-dart final on Tuesday.
Fans on Twitter backed up the claims of the amazing nature of the leg, at an early stage in a final that went back and forth between the two legendary Michaels.
A fan wrote: ‘From the feast of El Clásico de las flechas’, in reference to the confrontations that Real Madrid and Barcelona usually share on the football scene.
Fans and professionals alike praised the outstanding nature of the nine-dart finish in the second set.
The thousands in attendance at historic Alexandra Palace went absolutely nuts when Smith’s ninth dart hit the target, prompting one fan to tweet: “Few things are better in sport than the excitement of the crowd when the ninth dart Its on”.
After the match another fan reflected: “I almost forgot we watched the greatest stage ever!! What a finish. Darts dammit!
Another wrote: ‘I have goosebumps, I mean the best darts leg ever! And congratulations to Smith, almost another 9 darts to win the tournament. I’m so glad I got his World Championship, at the end!
Other Twitter users commented on the first nine darts of the World Championship in 2023
It was the first nine dart of the entire tournament, and it came in the final game. Fortunately for Bully Boy, he was able to get their act together to seal the set, en route to the famous victory.
Smith became the second player to hit a nine dart in the World Championship final, after Adrian Lewis in 2011.