Ross Smith Warns Mensur Suljovic Following Crowd Provocation at Swiss Darts Trophy
Ross Smith was left frustrated after Mensur Suljovic encouraged the audience to jeer during a critical moment in their Swiss Darts Trophy encounter. Despite missing his own match-winning opportunities, the English player expressed belief that Suljovic's unsportsmanlike conduct would eventually face retribution. The incident adds to previous controversies involving the Austrian competitor on the professional stage.
Tensions flared during the third round of the Swiss Darts Trophy after Mensur Suljovic encouraged the audience to disrupt Ross Smith during a decisive moment in their match.
The best-of-11 contest had reached a 5-5 tie, leaving the players locked in a final-leg decider on Sunday afternoon. Smith stood on the verge of victory with two match darts aimed at double 18. At that moment, Suljovic signaled to the crowd to heighten their boos aimed at his English opponent. Smith subsequently missed both attempts, handing the Austrian an opportunity to claim the contest. Suljovic capitalized by landing a double 10 with his final dart to complete the checkout and take the match.
Following the defeat, Smith addressed the situation on social media, stating that he did not hold Suljovic accountable for his loss and accepted responsibility for missing his two chances at victory. He explained that it was impossible to see what Suljovic was doing behind his back while he threw, aside from reacting to the crowd's noise. However, Smith expressed disdain for his opponent's conduct, asserting that karma would eventually catch up to the Austrian.
The episode adds to a history of contentious stage behavior for Suljovic. During a World Championship match last December, he faced strong criticism from Joe Cullen regarding his pace of play. Cullen had complained about the excessive time Suljovic took to retrieve his darts and celebrate, which required referee Kirk Bevans to step in. At the time, Suljovic denied any intentional provocation, maintaining that his deliberate routine was solely for his own performance rather than an effort to play the villain.