Canadian Jeff (The Silencer) Smith will be back performing in front of fans Friday at the 300,000-pound ($512,660) Bwin World Series of Darts Finals in Salzburg, Austria.
And he doesn't expect many will be cheering for him given he is facing the popular Fallon Sherrock, who made history last December and won a legion of supporters as the first woman to win a game at the PDC World Championship.
The 24-player event, which runs through Sunday at the Salzburgarena, will be the PDC's first to be staged in front of a live crowd — limited to some 1,000 because of COVID-19 — in more than six months.
"She's a phenomenal talent, there's no doubt about that," said the 44-year-old from Hampton, N.B. "She's proved that, kind of silenced all the critics as far as the ladies' game is concerned. She's been handed out some opportunities there because of what she's done, but she's deserved every one of them.
"It should be a good match. I know Fallon over the years back when I played the BDO (World Championship) and get along with her great. But when it comes down to playing, it's probably going to be 1,001 players against one as far as the crowd's concerned."
With the world's top eight players seeded through to the second round, Friday's first-round action features 12 invited players from around the world alongside four qualifiers.
The Smith-Sherrock winner will face eighth-seeded James (The Machine) Wade, the 2018 World Series of Darts Finals champion, in the second round.
Top-seeded Dutch star Michael van Gerwen has won four of the previous five editions of the World Series of Darts Finals since the event was introduced in 2015, with only Wade interrupting that run of success.
The tournament sponsor bookmaker lists van Gerwen as the favourite at 5-2 to collect the 70,000-pounds ($119,560) first prize.
Smith is listed at 125-1 to win the event while Sherrock is 300-1.
Sherrock was to compete on the World Series circuit in New York, Copenhagen, Australia and New Zealand this year before the pandemic halted play.
"I am so excited to be back playing again, especially in front of a crowd," said Sherrock, whose last PDC action came at the U.K. Open in March. "I definitely thrive playing in front of a crowd, so to be part of the first PDC event in front of fans will be really special."
Smith, who is coming off an appearance in the PDC Autumn Series in Germany, relishes the attention of the high-profile matchup.
"I've always been one to rise to the occasion ... All eyes are on this one. Hopefully it will work out in my favour in the end. If I play the way that I normally play then I should be OK. But she's definitely more than capable of beating just about anybody in here. Fingers crossed."
Smith won his way back onto the Professional Darts Corporation circuit in mid-January at the PDC Qualifying School in Wigan, England. Sherrock, 26, was also at Q School but failed to earn her tour card.
In February, Smith made it to the final in his first event before losing 8-4 to former world champion Gary (Flying Scotsman) Anderson at the Players Championship One in Barnsley, England.
In July, Smith reached the semifinals of the PDC Summer Series, losing to van Gerwen, the eventual winner. Smith is the lone Canadian on the PDC tour.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2020.
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Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
