Ross Smith believes his current form merits consideration for a Premier League debut next season, following his latest triumph at the Machineseeker European Championship in Dortmund.
Having defeated Martin Schindler 11-8 in the final, Smith secured his second television major title of the season, joining an elite group of players including Michael van Gerwen, Phil Taylor, Rob Cross, and Peter Wright as multiple European Championship winners. His victory builds upon his September success at the World Series Finals and has elevated him to a career-high world ranking of No. 6 in the PDC Order of Merit.
Ross Smith has enjoyed the best season of his career so far
Looking ahead, the 37-year-old is optimistic that his strong performance throughout the year will enhance his prospects of earning a Premier League spot for the 2027 season, either through automatic qualification or at the discretion of the tournament organizers.
Speaking at his post-victory press conference, Smith stated confidently, “Yes, at the moment, definitely. At the end of the year, who knows? There’s another three majors to come – it depends on what other players do.”
“Right now, of course I do. I’ve won two majors. I’ve finished No 1 on the Order of Merit in Europe and I’ve won a couple of Euro Tours. I feel like I do but, again, I’m not the one who picks it!”
He added: “With the Premier League, it’s out of my hands. If get a phone call or an e-mail or a text, because I don’t know what it is, from Mr [Matt] Porter or Mr [Barry] Hearn, then obviously I’d be over the moon and happy.”
“If I don’t, I’ll knuckle down over the next year and I’ll get on with it.”
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Ross Smith defeated Gary Anderson at the Hungarian Darts Trophy in August, before celebrating in heart-warming fashion with his son
During his run to the final, Smith showcased exceptional consistency, recording a 107 average in his 10-6 quarter-final victory over Luke Woodhouse and overcoming Gerwyn Price 11-7 in the semi-finals after trailing 4-1, ultimately denying Schindler the chance to claim victory on home soil.
With ambitions to climb further in the global rankings, Smith recognizes that upcoming events such as the Grand Slam of Darts (November 14-22) present valuable opportunities to accumulate crucial ranking points and potentially break into the world’s top four.
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“I’d like to go a bit higher [in the rankings], I’m not going to lie,” Smith added. “I’ve just got to knuckle down and there’s many more majors coming up. Let’s push forward and let’s get in that top four or something like that.
“It would be amazing to be in the top four. It’s not the be all and end all for me but obviously, as a player, I want to go as high as I can.”
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Speaking on Love The Darts earlier this summer, Ross Smith said he felt he was ready to play in the Premier League
“I’ve lost the first round at Ally Pally for the last two years, so I’ve played awful and I’m not actually defending anything. If I’d actually done half decent, I think I’d already be in the top four. That’s darts and that’s life.
“I believe I can beat anybody but I’m also realistic enough that if I don’t turn up, I’m going to get done as well. You don’t win three majors with no confidence and things like that.
“I’m feeling really good. I definitely feel like one of the elite players – why wouldn’t I?”
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