Ross Smith survived match darts to defeat Cameron Menzies 2-1 in sets in a tense first-round clash at the World Grand Prix, but the victory meant far more than just a place in the next round. The newly crowned World Series of Darts Finals champion revealed he had been laid up in hospital just days before the tournament, battling a virus and heart issues that nearly forced him to withdraw.
Speaking to the media post-match, Smith admitted he came close to pulling out. "I thought I was pulling out of this tournament on Saturday. To be here is an achievement in itself, let alone win and play like that," he said. "I've had a week of hell. I've come home and I've picked up some sort of virus or whatever it is. I've got problems now. I've had a few issues with my heart as well. I was in hospital on Friday."
Despite his health concerns, Smith produced a gritty performance against Menzies, who led 1-0 and missed match darts. "I put that down to Cammy playing unbelievable," Smith said. "He was superb. I looked up as he walked off on the stage and I thought, I ain't doing a lot wrong here. He had the averages, 104-103 to me and 104 to him. I looked at my mate Mark who was in the crowd and I thought, I don't know what to do here. It's a double start and all for God's sake. It is what it is. He played really well, Cammy. I don't really know my record. I've been playing Cammy for a good 20 years now. He's a hard player to play. I don't look at records and things like that because each day is completely different. I think that one set, he missed two darts to beat me. That just says how this game can go. I took my chances and that's what it's about."
Smith also opened up about the emotional toll of the week, revealing he missed his son's birthday due to illness and that it was the one-year anniversary of his mother's passing. "I was devastated because I missed my son's birthday on Wednesday because I was ill," he said. "I've come home feeling like I'm going to be celebrating and I've had a week of hell. I'm glad to be here and performing." He added: "It literally was yesterday. If I woke up yesterday and kept feeling like I was, if I didn't see any improvement, then there was no chance I was playing. I haven't thrown a dart since I won last week. I have not thrown a single dart. I was lied up in hospital on Friday. I was on a drip and stuff like that. I haven't been good at all. Just to even be here and be competing, I didn't expect to win. I genuinely didn't. To then go and perform like that, well, someone's looking out for me up there. Probably my mum. A year ago today, my mum passed away. It's an even special day. That's where my mum's at (points to the sky). My lovely, beautiful mum. Love you."
Smith said he was feeling better and that medication had started to kick in. "If you want to shake my hand, you're more than welcome. I feel a lot better than Saturday," he said. "I didn't feel any different. I felt really bad. I said to the missus, I'm not going to go. There's no way I'm playing. There's not a chance. Luckily, Sunday, I think the medications kicked in and I felt a lot better. Today, I felt a bit better. It is what it is, isn't it?"
Despite his lack of preparation, Smith insisted he never views any tournament as a free hit. "It's hard, but it's also easy. I know that sounds crazy because I come here with no expectation. It's almost like I hope everyone plays it down a bit from last week, in a way, because you don't want everyone to build you up to a height and go, oh, he's playing really well, and then you play like a numpty," he explained. "Hence why I do want to let everyone know that I'm not feeling that great. You don't want to go out there and play like a div and it comes back and bites you in the bum."
