Monday’s PDC World Darts Championship final will be between Peter Wright and Michael Smith (Match result – Smith 11/10, Wright 8/11) after the duo won their respective semi-finals at Alexandra Palace on Sunday night.
Sunday 2nd January results
Semi-finals
Michael Smith 6-3 James Wade
Peter Wright 6-4 Gary Anderson
Monday 3rd January
Final
Michael Smith v Peter Wright (20:00)
In the first semi on Sunday, England’s Smith beat fellow countryman James Wade 6-3 to reach his second World Championship final, before Scottish star Wright overcame his compatriot Gary Anderson 6-4 to book his third final appearance.
On another memorable night, Wright set a new record of 24 180s thrown in any World Championship match, beating Anderson’s previous record of 22 from 2017.
World number two Wright, who is looking for his second World Championship crown after winning the tournament in 2020, won the first three sets of the match but Anderson roared back to life to make it 3-2, refusing to buckle despite Snakebite always just about having the upper hand.
It went 4-2 in Wright’s favour but Anderson served more reminders when making it 4-3 and then 5-4, before Wright eventually sealed his place in the final and saw off the sixth seed’s challenge by taking the 10th set.
Wright admitted he wanted to entertain the fans, who have been treated to some wonderful matches in the tournament. He said: “Obviously we had to try and live up to Michael Smith’s match yesterday with Gerwyn Price. I wanted to be better than that match and hopefully it was great for the crowds and all the viewers.
“I had Gary coming back at me like a train and I had to try and de-rail him and put a stop on him and luckily enough I did. Hopefully I become a double-world champion and stop Michael, it will be a great match with loads more 180s, I think.”
Smith had earlier seen off Wade after always having control of their last-four showdown, leading 2-0 and 4-1 on route to a 6-3 victory.
He now faces Wright as he attempts to win his first major darts title and he admits he wants to make up for losing the 2019 World Championship final, when he was beaten by Michael van Gerwen 7-3.
“Peter and Gary both lost their first final and came back on their second attempt to both win their finals and now I’m thinking that’s an omen. I have a chance now to rectify what I did wrong in 2019,” he said.
Amongst a whole host of markets Betfred have for the final, Smith is 7/1 to win 7-5, while Wright is 17/2 to win 7-3.
PDC World Darts Championship Odds