Michael Smith denies “bottling it” in 2020 Masters final defeat

Michael Smith insists he is not “bottling” his chances in major finals despite letting The Masters title slip through his grasp.

Smith squandered three match darts in the deciding leg of a dramatic final against Peter Wright as he allowed the Scot to clinch the title.

Smith has now lost in his last six televised finals since winning the Shanghai Masters in 2018.

He admitted: “It just looks like I bottle it but I’m not, I’m trying my hardest, it just won’t go.

“I wanted it so much, I think I threw too hard at the doubles for the match, but when they left my hand they felt like they were going in.

“It’s another runner-up trophy to add to my big collection but I’ll get over it and I’ll be back on the board practicing double top.

“It is a positive start to 2020, even though I’m feeling so disappointed but I’ve got the Premier League and UK Open to look forward to around the corner.”

Smith defeated Adrian Lewis 10-6 in the Last Eight before coming through a tense last-leg decider with Nathan Aspinall.