Michael Smith insists it would ‘mean everything’ to celebrate Cazoo World Darts Championship success at Alexandra Palace on January 3.
Smith will be among the eight quarter-finalists who return to battle it out for the coveted Sid Waddell Trophy on New Year’s Day, as he takes on his St Helens counterpart Stephen Bunting for a place in the semi-finals.
The pair will collide in Sunday afternoon’s second quarter-final tie, as fourth seed Smith continues his bid to reach a third World Championship final in the space of five years.
Smith has been touted as a future World Champion since bursting on to the scene over a decade ago, and after winning his first televised ranking title at last month’s Grand Slam of Darts, he now has the sport’s biggest prize in his sights.
“It would mean everything,” declared Smith, who succumbed in finals against Michael van Gerwen and Peter Wright in 2019 and 2022 respectively.
“I started playing darts in 2005 and I got the bug straight away.
“The only thing I want to do is be World Champion. If you become World Champion, you have completed something.
“Even now at 32 years old, I practice all the time and I tell myself: ‘I’ve got 100 left and if you hit this, you’re going to be World Champion.’
“I keep telling myself every time you hit it, you’ll be World Champion. I’m drilling it into myself and everything I’m doing is for that one thing.”
Smith has been incredibly consistent in the sport’s premier events in 2022, losing in World Championship, UK Open and European Championship deciders prior to his win in Wolverhampton.
He also won the US Darts Masters at Madison Square Garden in June, while celebrating a hat-trick of Players Championship wins and a fifth European Tour title at the Dutch Darts Championship.
The 32-year-old is now just three wins away from lifting darts' holy grail, which would see him fulfil another ambition in becoming the new world number one.
Smith may have to overcome top seed Gerwyn Price and three-time World Champion Van Gerwen to claim the £500,000 top prize in the capital, but that is a challenge he would relish.
“Michael [van Gerwen] is the red-hot favourite and is always going to be, but there is still me and Gezzy left,” added the former World Youth Champion.
“If one of us wins [this title] you’re world number one, you’re the best player in the world.
“I want to play the best players; I want to beat the best players and I want to show how far my game has come.”
The Grand Slam Champion won through to his fourth World Championship quarter-final in some style on Friday, reaffirming his title credentials with an imperious display to defeat Joe Cullen.
Smith averaged 103, landed ten 180s and converted 40% of his attempts at double to complete a 4-1 victory over Masters winner Cullen, hitting seven perfect darts in the final leg of the contest.
“I finally turned up at this World Championship and it felt good,” admitted the St Helens star, who fought back from 3-1 down to defeat Germany’s Martin Schindler in round three.
“I’m not sure anyone has won a TV title where it’s been plain-sailing. You have to show your character and show what you’ve got.
“I’ve had to do it twice now. I have had to dig deep, and you have to get over these scares to hopefully win the event.”
However, Smith faces a tough task against a resurgent Bunting, who is aiming to account for another St Helens rival, following his third round victory over Dave Chisnall.
Former Lakeside Championship winner Bunting averaged 102 to defeat Chisnall in a six-set thriller on Thursday, before producing another dazzling display to dispatch fifth seed Luke Humphries.
Bunting – a semi-finalist in 2021- boasts a tournament average of 98 and has hit the most 180s of the remaining quarter-finalists, therefore he heads into Sunday’s tie brimming with confidence.
“Who is to say I can’t win it?” said Bunting, who has won three of his four televised tussles against Smith.
“I feel ready. I’m walking into the building feeling really sharp, and I have a chance.
“I’ve just beaten the world number five, so if I’m not confident of beating anyone else, I shouldn’t be playing the game.
“Michael [Smith] is a really tough opponent, but I have beaten him on that stage before, and I’ll be back on the practice board and ready for that game.”
Elsewhere, Sunday’s quarter-final action will begin with a clash between six-time TV title winner Jonny Clayton and Belgium’s number one Dimitri Van den Bergh.
The evening session will then see 2021 World Champion Price take on Germany’s history-maker Gabriel Clemens, before Van Gerwen plays Chris Dobey, who is appearing in his first World Championship quarter-final.
2022/23 Cazoo World Darts Championship
Sunday January 1
Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
2x Quarter-Finals
Dimitri Van den Bergh v Jonny Clayton
Michael Smith v Stephen Bunting