Defending Champ's Bite-the-Bullet Victory Sets Tone for Title Defense
The defending darts world champion escaped a close call in the opening round of the 2024 World Darts Championship, but Michael Smith's cool head and history on his side give him confidence for the rest of the tournament.
For 15 years, a pattern has emerged in the darts world: Defending champions have opened their title defense with a victory. Michael Smith, last year's champion with the legendary nine-darter, continued this tradition but not without a nail-biter finisher against Dutch debutant Kevin Doets. The victory in the fifth set of this thriller game was a sigh of relief for Smith, who admitted he needed this win to boost his confidence.
The match started like a dream for the defending champion, with Smith taking the first leg with ease. Doets, thrilling the crowd with an upset victory earlier in the night against US American Stowe Buntz, refused to back down. He fought back to win the second set and took control in the third with solid play.
The tables turned in the fourth set, with Smith securing a vital win to force a fifth set. The tension soared, with Doets missing a chance to tie the score in the legs and Smith pulling off a monster checkout in the decisive first leg to take a 1-0 lead.
Riding that wave, Smith outplayed his opponent, clearing the board simply in moments of splendid focus. Doets squeezed through with a win in the second leg, but convincingly, Smith sealed the victory with a 3-1 finish.
Smith's performance was enough for the Englishman to celebrate his survival in the World Championship. "I just needed that win, and it came at the right time," Smith said gleefully after the match. "It gives me the self-confidence needed for the matches ahead."
Expert analysis reveals that Smith's victory at a close call, coupled with statistics and previous examples, may be a good omen for him. This pattern suggests that the defending champion, despite a close fight, has an increased chance of continuing his reign as the world champion.
Another defending champion in the 2024 series, Adrian Lewis, faced his own perilous situation in his title defense in 2012. Lewis won his opening match in a deciding set with great difficulty before eventually capturing the World Championships double two and a half weeks later.
These instances show that defending champions, despite a close fight, can still thrive and even come out stronger, once they've found their footing.
As Michael Smith gears up for the tough opponents that await him in the rounds ahead, his past success and the historical record of past champions who've edged their way through opening matches give him hope and determination.
