Suljovic after Basel incident: "Then he can go home"
The Viennese can be pleased with a strong performance at the Swiss Darts Trophy in Basel. Ultimately, however, an unsportsmanlike action will likely remain in the spotlight.
Mensur Suljovic caused a stir at the PDC tournament in Basel. The 54-year-old was after a victory against Michael van Gerwen in the round of 16 and fought against Englishman Ross Smith for a place in the quarter-finals.
But during his 6-5 victory after a strong comeback, a completely different action suddenly took center stage. When Smith earned two match darts, Suljovic urged the crowd behind him to be louder. Many spectators then booed louder.
It was not the only time in this match that the Austrian deliberately encouraged the crowd to do so.
In the end, this also unsettled the Englishman, and Suljovic still claimed the victory. Only a short time later, Smith took to "X" to speak out.
Smith on Suljovic: "If he wants to be an absolute idiot, ..."
Naturally, the Englishman's frustration was quite high. "If he wants to be an absolute idiot, that's his business. Karma will catch up with him," said Smith.
Suljovic also commented on his arguably unsportsmanlike action and defended his point of view.
"What is this guy complaining about?! He should play his game, otherwise he can go straight home. Women complain, sorry... You don't do that when you lose," Suljovic said.
Suljovic: "Then he should just stay home!"
It's also not the first time Suljovic has played with the crowd and pushed his opponent to their psychological limits.
"I need support, I can't do anything without the fans. When I'm in England, the fans are against me, everywhere they are against me, and now all of a sudden he complains, he should just stay home," he added.
Ultimately, Suljovic was only defeated in the semi-finals by 2024 World Champion Luke Humphries, thus missing out on a place in the final.
