Michael Smith’s remarkable comeback continues after he pulled off an almighty comeback and survived 11 missed match darts from Chris Dobey to round off a 10-9 win, setting up a quarter-final with world No 1 Luke Humphries.
Smith has been plagued with injuries and arthritis but is finally getting his reward at the tournament that started it all for him back in 2022.
There was nothing separating the two in the first five legs, all the legs going with the throw as ‘Hollywood’ took a 3-2 lead.
Dobey then found daylight with a crucial break of throw but ‘Bullyboy’ did not back down and clinched an incredible 164 on the bull to level the game at 5-5.
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Michael Smith levels things in his Grand Slam of Darts tie against Chris Dobey with a touch-of-class 164 finish.
The fight was then evident from the St Helens man as he found a double, double finish, 86 checkout on the bull, then took out 68 on tops to move two legs from a huge moment.
Dobey then eventually finished off a nervy leg to break the throw and level the game at 8-8 but Smith hit straight back with a break of his own to put himself one leg away, the 2022 Grand Slam champion missing two match darts to allow the Newcastle man to level the game at 9-9.
It was then an incredible final leg from the pair that rained T20s in which they missed a ludicrous 18 match darts between them, D4 eventually giving Smith the game.
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Michael Smith talks through his version of events as he pulled off an amazing comeback against Chris Dobey.
“I won’t say he [Dobey] didn’t want it. Something happened and he kept missing and I was thankful for that. I should never have been in that match or been in front, I should never have won, but I will take it,” Smith told Sky Sports.
“I’m happy to be here but it’s annoying me. I’m trying to remind myself of 2022 and forcing things instead of having fun. I’ve just got over the line but I’m still here in the quarter-finals.
“It’s always a battle now. Every game I play now, they always go to last legs, and I hate it, it’s doing my head in. I’ll watch the game back tomorrow. I’m into the next round, I’m happy. I nearly threw it away in the last leg so I’ll take it all day long.”
He now plays Humphries in the quarter-finals after he cruised to a 10-3 victory against former World Youth Championship finalist Jurjen van der Velde, who enjoyed his moment on the big stage on debut.
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Highlights of the Grand Slam of Darts second round match between Luke Humphries and Jurjen van der Velde.
Humphries came into the match nursing a suspected back spasm on his throwing arm, but it showed no signs of affecting his throw, the world No 1 wincing at points but battling through as he was 5-0 up in no time with a 10-darter, 83 per cent success rate on the doubles, and a staggering 117.42 average in the first session.
Van der Velde eventually got a consolatory leg on the board to bring the score to 7-1 and took his moment, lapping up the applause from the crowd. Another leg then came in the 10th as he clinched D8 once again with a smile on his face, a sensational 164 on the bull rounding off his electric moments.
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Jurjen van der Velde hits a stunning 164 finish against Luke Humphries as he pegs back another leg from Cool Hand Luke.
The show from Van der Velde only stopped ‘Cool Hand’ for a little while though, the 2023 Grand Slam champion getting back to business and eventually wrapping up the win on tops.
While Humphries put on a staggering show, he admitted he was in “crippling pain” and thought he could have to pull out of the tournament.
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Luke Humphries reveals his woke up with a spasm that almost made him pull out of the tournament and required three hours of physio to get him ready for the his match against Jurjen van der Velde.
“I have no idea how I made that happen. When I woke up this morning, I couldn’t lift my head off the pillow,” Humphries told Sky Sports.
“I think I had a back spasm. I was thinking I might have to pull out today, my back was so bad.
“I’ve got to thank Mandy, my physio, who spent three hours massaging it. I think adrenaline got me over the line.
“I guess I’m just a fighter. I surprise myself sometimes. From almost having to pull out this morning to playing like that – it’s something special.”
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Jurjen van der Velde celebrates finally winning a leg against a dominant Luke Humphries in the second round of the 2025 Grand Slam of Darts.
Price sets up Evans clash with dominant win
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Gerwyn Price hits a big fish against Martin Schindler in round two of the Grand Slam of Darts to take a 8-6 lead in the match.
Gerwyn Price showed his class in a dominant 10-6 win over German No 1 Martin Schindler.
Three-time Grand Slam champion Price dominated the first session as he cantered into a 4-1 lead, Schindler unable to find any consistency in his scoring, averaging in the mid-80s.
The second session was a similar story to the first but this time Schindler managed to hold his throw well to battle to 6-4 despite being visibly annoyed at his play, the ‘Iceman’s’ doubling eluding him despite having darts to clinch nine of the 10 legs played.
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Gerwyn Price let out a double roar as he hit a 95 finish to go one leg away from sealing the match against Martin Schindler.
The pivotal moment then arrived as Price took control once again by reeling in the ‘Big Fish’ and followed it with a break of throw to move 8-5 in front before rounding out the match on tops and giving his signature roar.
“It was a difficult game. Martin was nowhere near what he can play. Towards the end we started to play a bit better, but in the end I was happy to get over the finishing line,” Price told Sky Sports.
“I should have been 8-2 up, so I was disappointed and beat myself up allowing him to come back. But I’m proud of myself to come through that.
“It [my start] was partly to do with the crowd – I don’t usually get this support, but they were fantastic.
“This is a favourite tournament, I always do well here. With the crowd behind me now, I think I’ll do even better!”
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Gerwyn Price reacts to beating Martin Schindler in round two of the 2025 Grand Slam of Darts.
He now faces Ricky Evans who snatched victory from the jaws of defeat with a 10-9 deciding-leg victory over Luke Woodhouse.
Neither player looked comfortable throughout the encounter but surged in patches, Woodhouse breaking away into an 8-5 lead before missing two darts for a 9-5 advantage.
That then saw Evans have his moment though as his characteristically fast throw got even faster to fight back to 8-7 then 9-9, taking out tops for 76 to wrap up a huge win.
What’s coming up on Thursday?
Thursday concludes the last 16 with four second-round matches including Luke Littler, Michael van Gerwen, and Josh Rock all vying for quarter-final spots.
Thursday November 13 1900 (Sky Sports + and Sky Sports Main Event)
4x Second Round (best of 19 legs)
Lukas Wenig v Niko Springer
Josh Rock v Connor Scutt
Luke Littler v Wessel Nijman
Michael van Gerwen v Danny Noppert
Who will win the Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts? Watch throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues Thursday from 7pm on Sky Sports+ and Sky Sports Main Event. Stream darts and more top sport with NOW
