Ross Smith Wins Second European Championship — SkimNews
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- Ross Smith won his second European Championship, defeating Martin Schindler 11-8 in the final in Dortmund on Sunday to join Michael van Gerwen, Phil Taylor, Rob Cross and Peter Wright among the event's multiple winners.
- Ross Smith followed September's World Series Finals success with two European Tour titles and two Players Championship titles this season, climbing to a career-high world No 6 in the PDC Order of Merit at 37 years old.
- Gerwyn Price was beaten 11-7 in the last four by Smith, who recovered from 4-1 down to reach a third TV final, after firing a 107 average in a 10-6 quarter-final win over Luke Woodhouse.
- Premier League selectors, not Smith, control the 2027 field: claiming he 'definitely' deserves a debut on current form, he added 'I'm not the one who picks it' and said he'd be over the moon to get a call, email or text from Matt Porter or Barry Hearn.
- Grand Slam of Darts runs November 14-22 and the World Darts Championship December 11-January 3, with Smith saying a Grand Slam win would take him into the world's top four; he lost in round one at Ally Pally in each of the last two years.
- Ross Smith said he believes he can beat anybody but is 'realistic enough that if I don't turn up, I'm going to get done as well,' adding: 'I definitely feel like one of the elite players — why wouldn't I?'
Why it matters: Two TV majors this season and a career-high world No 6 give Smith a stated case for the 2027 Premier League, but he concedes the pick belongs to Matt Porter and Barry Hearn. He says three majors remain, his case depends on what other players do, and a missed call means another year of grinding.
Ask SkimNews
