Darts ace opens up on ‘dreadful week’ that saw his German Darts Grand Prix clash turn into a ‘health battle’ vs opponent

Michael Smith has admitted he is still struggling for energy after what he described as a “dreadful” week battling illness.

The world No.31 averaged just 86.40 as he overcame James Hurrell 6-2 in a scrappy opening-round clash at the German Darts Grand Prix.

The former world champion conceded the match turned into a strange encounter, with both players unable to find any real rhythm on stage.

Smith revealed his performance has been affected by feeling unwell in recent days.

He explained that as Hurrell began to struggle, he found himself slipping into the same pattern before both players briefly found scoring bursts at the same time — making it a chaotic and unpredictable contest.

The 34-year-old didn’t hold back when describing his condition, admitting he has been drained of energy and dealing with sickness throughout the past week.

He also acknowledged that his lack of practice has taken a toll on his performances, something he believes has shown in recent ProTour events and qualifiers for Graz and Sindelfingen.

Despite recently reaching the quarter-finals of the Poland Masters, Smith is still searching for consistency as he looks to rediscover his best form on the big stage.