Ross Smith claimed his eighth PDC ranking title in emphatic fashion at Players Championship Five, sweeping past Chris Dobey 8-2 in the final at the Mattioli Arena. The 37-year-old Englishman averaged 104.24 with five 180s in the decider, capping a day of consistent high-level play. Smith reflected, "I've just played consistently well today. I rode my luck a little bit today, but to win a title like this, you need a bit of luck along the way."
Smith averaged 99.25 across the tournament, staying around or above a ton in virtually every match. He said, "I felt really relaxed today. It's the best I've felt this year, so I'm really happy with the win." Despite the one-sided scoreline, Smith praised Dobey afterwards: "We all know how good Chris is. He's one of the best players in the world, so I'm just grateful to beat him." The victory extends an impressive streak for Smith, as he has now won at least one Players Championship title in each of the past four years.
The title in Leicester brings Smith £15,000 in prize money along with valuable ranking points and confidence. Smith concluded, "I know what I'm capable of. If I keep playing like this and hold onto this feeling, more chances will come." However, the post-match interview took a humorous turn when Joe Cullen stuck around in the background in another streaming cubicle, prompting Smith to jokingly shout, "will you shut up?" The Players Championship continues today with the sixth tournament of the year in Leicester, where Smith is among the entrants chasing back-to-back titles.
