Mensur Suljovic has fired back at Ross Smith following allegations of gamesmanship during their controversial last-16 encounter at the Swiss Darts Trophy on Sunday. The Austrian sparked a heated debate after appearing to whip up the crowd behind Smith as the Englishman threw for the match in the deciding leg of their clash in Basel.
Smith subsequently missed two match darts at double 18, allowing Suljovic to complete a remarkable comeback from 5-3 down and snatch a 6-5 victory. The reigning World Series of Darts Finals champion exchanged a brief handshake with Suljovic before swiftly leaving the stage, visibly frustrated by the incident. Smith later took to X to express his displeasure, although he acknowledged that his missed doubles had ultimately cost him the match. "I don't blame Mensur for me losing that game. I missed two match darts. Simple as that. Obviously it's impossible for me to know what he's doing behind my back when I'm throwing apart from the crowd's response. If he wants to be an absolute helmet that's on him – karma will come around."
Suljovic, however, showed little sympathy for Smith's complaints when questioned about the incident following his subsequent quarter-final victory. The 54-year-old produced an impressive display to demolish Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-1, averaging 102 to reach the semi-finals, where he was asked to address the controversy on stage. "Look, Ross Smith is one of the best players in the world. What is the guy complaining about? He has to play his game, otherwise he can go straight home. What's his problem? He complains like a woman. In England, the fans are against me. Everywhere, they're against me. And now he suddenly complains? He had to hit it [match dart] and it would have been over. I'd already be home by now, my wife would be thrilled. Okay, I got the crowd going a little, just like in Germany. I need the support. I can't do anything without you."
Suljovic was then challenged by tournament MC Philip Brzezinski, who made clear that he disagreed with the Austrian's actions, particularly the timing of his gestures while Smith was throwing for the match. The former World Cup finalist initially suggested he had not seen the incident himself before acknowledging that he would need to review the footage. "I didn't see that. It could be, okay. I'll have to watch it back on video. I encouraged the crowd behind me, but he has to understand that. The crowd can do what it wants, can't it?"
Despite the controversy, Suljovic's impressive run in Basel continued into the semi-finals, where he faced world number two Luke Humphries. The Austrian made another fast start, racing into a 2-0 lead against the newly crowned World Grand Prix champion, but Humphries responded emphatically to take control of the contest. A blistering 111 average helped Humphries win seven of the next nine legs and secure a 7-4 victory, bringing Suljovic's eventful Swiss Darts Trophy campaign to an end. While Suljovic ultimately fell short of reaching the final, his performances and the fallout from his clash with Smith ensured he remained one of the tournament's biggest talking points.
