Michael Smith targets more Slam success
The 2023 Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts gets under way at Wolverhampton’s WV Active Aldersley today, as Michael Smith begins his defence of the Eric Bristow Trophy.
The 17th staging of the Grand Slam will see a star-studded 32-player field battling it out for £650,000 in prize money across nine days of action.
With the players split into eight groups of four in the initial round-robin phase, the tournament begins with a double session today.
Reigning champion Smith will begin his defence of the title this evening against 2022 World Youth Championship runner-up Nathan Girvan, one of seven debutants in this year’s field.
The world number one will also face three-time finalist James Wade and Poland’s Krzysztof Ratajski in Group A, as he bids to become only the fourth player to lift multiple Grand Slam titles.
“It would mean everything to retain my title this year,” admitted Smith. “Over the last five or six years the Grand Slam has been very kind to me. I think I’ve gone unbeaten in the group in the last five years, but I’ve probably jinxed that now!
“Hopefully I can deliver again this year and go back-to-back.”
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