YOUNGSTER Michael Smith is looking to produce the performance of his life as he aims to topple ten-time champion Phil Taylor in the PartyPoker.com World Grand Prix on Monday night.
The St Helens youngster plays world number one Taylor in the first round of the double-start tournament at the Citywest Hotel in the biggest game of his career.
Smith was not even born when Taylor claimed his first World Championship title back in 1990 and is ranked 43rd in the world as he prepares for his World Grand Prix debut.
Although Taylor has dominated the World Grand Prix since the tournament was founded in 1998, three of his four defeats in the event have come in the short, best-of-three set first round.
Smith is looking to follow the achievements of Kevin Painter in 2001, Andy Callaby in 2004 and Adrian Gray in 2007 by upsetting the odds which make him 6/1 to take victory over the Stoke legend.
"It's obviously the biggest match of my career, but I see it as more of an opportunity than a tough game," said Smith, who turned 22 recently.
"People would obviously see it as an upset if I did beat Phil, but to myself it's just another match I could win. I wouldn't have travelled all the way to Dublin to think I was going to get beaten.
"I've played Phil three times before and he's beaten me every time so far, but this is different on TV.
"People are saying he looks vulnerable after losing to Brendan Dolan in the European Championship, but every time he's beaten me he's played well and had 100-plus average, so he's not that vulnerable!
"I think it will bring the best out of me because I know I can't rest at all. I've got to get my double to start straight away and score heavily so my best game will come out.
Smith has never competed in the double-start format in a professional game before, but admits: "I've always wanted to qualify for this tournament.
"I play in a lot of local leagues where you have to start with a double, so it's one of my favourite formats and I hope that will show in my performance.
"I've watched the World Grand Prix a lot of times before on TV and the crowds there look like they create a great atmosphere, and hopefully they'll be cheering for me this week!"
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"I play in a lot of local leagues where you have to start with a double, so it's one of my favourite formats," Michael Smith |
Smith travels to Dublin on the back of a double triumph in PDC Unicorn Youth Tour events recently, taking his tally of victories on that circuit to five this year in addition to claiming his second senior title in January.
"My form dipped a bit in late June and July but it's coming back slowly, and the weekend in Wigan shows that I'm back playing really well again," he said. "It's a massive confidence boost.
"To be honest I had a spell where I thought I wasn't going to win again in the PDC, so to win three out of the last four Youth Tour events, and to be winning matches, is great."
Smith made his World Championship debut last December when he lost in the first round to Co Stompe before being defeated by another Dutchman, Raymond van Barneveld, on his World Matchplay debut in July.
"Playing in the World Championship and World Matchplay has been vitally important for me," admits Smith. "I'm trying to get as much TV experience as I can to make me a better player.
"The goal is to get into the world's top 32 and I want to be known as one of the world's best players.
"At the World Championship I missed a lot of doubles but it was my first time there, and in the World Matchplay I hit four out of six against Raymond van Barneveld.
"I've been practising my doubles like mad lately and I'm not missing at the minute, and hopefully that comes out on the big stage."
Smith is managed and mentored by world number four Gary Anderson, and the young star added: "He's given me a lot of motivation.
"I'm learning a lot from Gary about what to do and what not to do, and we speak every day about how my practice is going.
"He's passing a lot of his experience down to me now as he knows what to do and how to handle things."
The PartyPoker.com World Grand Prix will take place at the Citywest Hotel in Dublin from October 8-14 2012, starting at 7pm on each night. Tickets are still available in person from the Citywest Hotel Box Office.