'I might have hit it': Damon Heta jokes about hitting nine-dart finish if he knew marriage proposal was on the cards

Damon Heta is through to the final day of action at the European Darts Open in Leverkusen. He saw off Mickey Mansell 6-2 in a match that had it all. Marriage proposals and a near nine-dart finish.

Heta spoke to DartsNews.com afterwards and joked that he might have hit it if he knew it was going to happen. But he got over the line and said that he was glad in particular to be back in winning form on the European Tour after a few disheartening defeats.

"Knowing that the marriage proposal was going to go on, I might have hit it but because I didn't know I didn't hit it," joked Heta to DartsNews.

"It would've been electric. I felt good everything was going well, just to bottle it like that is a bit disheartening. More or less I'm just happy just to get the win. I've not had a back-to-back first round win on the Euro Tour and is disheartening. I've put so much time and so much effort. I put a lot of time in and I'm happy just to get that win."

Facing Mansell also isn't something that bothers Heta as he said he's just got to do what he does and not worry about anyone else. "You just get on with it, you know what it's all about. You know what players do whether it's Mickey or other players. You just get on with your own game."

Next is Michael Smith or Andreas Harrysson, he said that he is relishing any test and also remarked about his walk-on and how that makes him feel loose when he gets onto the stage every week.

"It makes me feel comfortable, straight away I just feel comfortable. Rather than going up there feeling stiff, rigid and knowing you have to win. It's about being loose. Now I can focus on the darts. I feel good after that. It's more about my mental side of the game and I enjoy it and that's all that matters."

"I fancy my chances any game I play. It's not taking anything from anyone else. You've always got to back yourself and give yourself 100%. It's very disheartening when it doesn't pay off. I'm doing the absolute most and when it doesn't pay off like I say it's disheartening. When it does pay off you've got to celebrate those wins."