Michael Smith battled through to the third round of the 2026 Poland Darts Open in Krakow with a nerve-racking last-leg decider win over Joe Cullen on Saturday night, a victory he dedicated to his Polish wife, Dagmara. Smith never led in the match but dragged it over the line, explaining afterwards, "It's about taking my chances. I am glad to get into the next round. That's why I got so annoyed when I lost in the qualifiers. It's the only one where I wanted to bring the family over and stuff."
Smith's appearance in Krakow was extra special because he initially failed to qualify for the Euro Tour event after a loss in qualifying to Mickey Mansell, which led to frustration he showed online. He only made the field following Gerwyn Price's withdrawal through illness. "When I didn't qualify, you saw on social media I got really annoyed, but I managed to scrape in," Smith added. "I managed to play in front of the Polish crowd. I know how difficult they can be because I have lived with one for 13 years! Thank you, everyone." He emphasized, "Of course, it's for this beautiful crowd but mainly for her."
The victory also signaled positive signs for Smith's sporting form, as he has struggled recently with injuries and arthritis but sees his level climbing again. He assessed the match: "It's two best mates going at each other. I had chances in the first leg at 116, and in the second leg, I had four darts at double. I just kept on believing in myself, and I got over in the end. It was a proper game of darts." Smith noted his 97 average as a sign of progress: "With the 97 average, that was me playing badly a couple of years ago. It's nice that my game is going in the right direction at the minute. I am just looking to keep on going."
Despite the win, Smith remained realistic about his presence in Krakow, admitting, "Listen, I shouldn't be here, and I got beat in the qualifiers." On Sunday afternoon, he faces another top clash in the next round when he takes on Jonny Clayton.
