JAMES WADE COLUMN: The Machine got his season off to the perfect start with victory at the Players Championship in Germany – and is now targeting success at next month’s UK Open
I’m absolutely buzzing after clinching my first Players Championship of the year!
The excitement is amplified because I managed to beat two formidable opponents: the legendary Michael van Gerwen in the semi-final and the talented Nathan Aspinall in the final. Talk about impressive scalps.
I firmly believe the best way to bounce back from disappointment in the Premier League selection is to immerse myself in the game of darts, and what a phenomenal start this week has been. I’ve stormed into the world’s top eight, and I’m now just one title away from securing a coveted spot in the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton, as well as a guaranteed place at the Players Championship in Minehead – what a strong kickoff to the season.
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The year didn’t begin as smoothly as I had hoped, with frenzied travels to Germany (Hildesheim) taking up two intense days, but now I’m feeling revitalised.
Earlier in the day, I achieved exhilarating back-to-back victories that came down to the wire against Karel Sedlacek and Alexander Merkx. After that adrenaline rush, I surged past Jeffrey De Graaf with a convincing 6-1 victory, before comfortably outplaying Austria’s No. 1, Mensur Suljovic, with a score of 6-3.
I’ll admit, Joe Cullen took me down during the Grand Prix in Leicester when I was struggling away from the board, so it was particularly rewarding to settle the score by denying him victory in a thrilling last-leg shootout.
But there’s truly no rest for the wicked; I’ve just returned from Germany, and now I’m heading off for two exhilarating nights of exhibitions.
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While the earnings are certainly enticing, these exhibitions also provide a valuable opportunity to hone my skills in preparation for the upcoming PDC event.
It’s just three weeks until the highly anticipated UK Open in Minehead, where I previously triumphed three times and reached the final last year. If I make a deep run in the tournament this time, I could very well find myself climbing to 5th or 6th in the world rankings.
Now that would be extraordinary!
Take care, Wadey.
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