Ross Smith has declared that "karma" will eventually catch up with Mensur Suljovic following the Austrian's deliberate attempt to incite crowd noise during a tense final-leg decider in their third-round encounter at the Swiss Darts Trophy on Sunday.
The match remained deadlocked at 5-5 in their best-of-11-legs format when Smith positioned himself with two opportunities to seal victory at double 18. At that critical juncture, Suljovic turned to gesture toward the crowd, actively encouraging them to amplify their booing. The tactic proved effective—Smith's concentration wavered and he failed to convert either dart, gifting his opponent a lifeline.
Suljovic capitalised on the reprieve by striking double 10 with his final throw to complete the checkout and claim a 6-5 victory. According to Sport1, Smith had actually led 5-3 before Suljovic mounted his comeback to win the deciding leg.
Smith's frustration with the encounter was evident in his subsequent social media response.
I don't blame Mensur for me losing that game. I missed two match darts. Simple as that.he wrote on X.
Obviously it's impossible for me to know what he's doing behind my back when I'm throwing apart from the crowd's response.
The incident did not go unnoticed by the sport's governing body. A PDC spokesperson confirmed:
We are aware of the matter involving Mensur Suljovic and Ross Smith at the weekend. It has been referred to the Darts Regulation Authority for review, and we have no further comment at this stage.
Suljovic, however, showed no remorse for his actions. In a post-match interview with presenter Philip Brzezinski, according to Darts News, the Austrian dismissed Smith's concerns, telling him to "play his game" or "go straight home." Brzezinski challenged the timing of Suljovic's crowd-rousing during the crucial moment, but the Austrian stood by his approach.
The crowd interaction was not confined to that single match-dart moment. Reports indicate that Suljovic encouraged the Basel crowd throughout his comeback phase, including while Smith was actively throwing, creating a sustained atmosphere of disruption rather than an isolated incident.
This is not Suljovic's first brush with controversy on the professional darts stage. The Austrian previously faced scrutiny during a World Championship clash against Joe Cullen last December. Cullen branded his opponent's pace of play as "cheating" and "not darts" after becoming frustrated by the extended time Suljovic took to retrieve his darts and celebrate between throws. Referee Kirk Bevans was forced to intervene in that encounter.
When confronted about his conduct, Suljovic responded:
I never, ever do this as a provocation. I do it only for my game. I like my game - I never do it to be a villain. Sorry Joe, I never do this - I love you man.
Despite the controversy surrounding his third-round victory over Smith, Suljovic's tournament run continued successfully. According to Darts News, the Austrian progressed to the semi-finals of the Swiss Darts Trophy after defeating Dirk van Duijvenbode in his next match. This victory came on the back of an impressive 6-4 triumph over Michael van Gerwen the previous day, demonstrating his strong form throughout the tournament.
Sky Sports continues as the home of professional darts, with the Grand Slam of Darts scheduled for November 14-22 and the World Darts Championship running from December 11 through January 3. Both events will be broadcast live, with streaming available through NOW with no contract required.
