Read what happened when we let Sid Waddell ask World Champion Adrian Lewis anything he liked.
We let Sid Waddell ask World Champion Adrian Lewis anything he liked!
Nobody knows darts better than
Sky Sports commentator Sid Waddell.
After almost 40 years of watching the sport, surely nobody else has seen more arrows flung and nobody else has analysed the players so closely.
So when
skysports.com tracked down the biggest names in the game for a chat ahead of the 2012 World Championship, we decided to get Sid to ask the questions for us!
Here's what happened when Sid posed the questions to the reigning world champion Adrian Lewis...
SID WADDELL: Hello Aidy. You're the defending champion, but I still reckon you sometimes lack concentration at key points in the game. Are you aware of that?
ADRIAN LEWIS: Maybe in previous years, but I wouldn't say I've done that too much this year. I'd have to agree with you that it's been a problem in previous years, but at the moment my form is good and I'm looking forward to getting up there and showing why I'm world champion.
SID: How have you and your management team prepared you to make sure you don't get sloppy during the World Championship?
ADRIAN: I don't really know. It just comes with experience to be honest. The more serious you get, the better your darts gets and I've learned that. I haven't sat down with Keith Deller to look at that, but I am concentrating a lot more. If you notice when I walk on I don't jump up and down any more and I try to conserve my energy. I think that's probably been part of it.
SID: What has your practice regime been like?
ADRIAN: It's been good. My form is coming good at the right time and I've been working on my finishing. In the last couple of years that's what's let me down and that's why I would agree with you over key points in the game. I've definitely been working on that and I was close to my best in Wolverhampton. I'm not worried about sloppy darts at the Worlds and I'm going into it full of confidence.
SID: What's your approach to physical exercise? Phil Taylor has sometimes prepared for the World Championship by doing lots of exercise? Have you ever thought about changing your physical shape?
ADRIAN: Haha! I've been practising so hard I don't have time to exercise. I'm more concerned with my darts. I'd say if you're physically fit then you're mentally fit and to tell you the truth I have been on diets from time to time. It depends how I feel; if I feel unfit then I'll trim down, but if I feel okay I don't. Right now I feel I'm in shape and I'm feeling good and I can't wait to get on stage.
SID: Who do you think will be in the frame at the World Championship?
ADRIAN: The usual suspects really. Phil Taylor will be there or there abouts like he always is, I think Gary Anderson will have a good run again and I think James Wade might have a good run, even though he's never really done it in the World Championship. He's due one because he's done it everywhere else, but not at the Worlds. I don't know why. I think there's just more pressure on this tournament than people realise because it's the biggest tournament. He's due a run.
SID: Taylor has listed you as one of his three main rivals. Give us your three most feared opponents.
ADRIAN: To tell you the truth, I don't really fear anyone. If I have to pick three I'd go with the others in the top four in the world rankings, so Phil, Anderson and Wade. If Phil has listed me as one of his biggest rivals I would take that as a compliment, but at the end of the day he's also one of mine. I've beaten him a couple of times this year in the Premier League, so there's no reason why I wouldn't be able to beat him in the final of the World Championship.
SID: What's up with Barney's form at the moment? Do you think he's lost his taste for competition?
ADRIAN: No, I wouldn't say that. It's hard to say what's up with him.
SID: Is it that he's forever changing his darts?
ADRIAN: I would probably agree with that. He keeps changing his darts and he should probably stick to the set of darts he used when he was winning things and then he would be more confident. At the moment it seems he's lost his confidence and that's why he keeps changing his darts, but then he loses the next game and changes them again. I don't think professionals should be doing that. Admittedly, I changed my darts this year, but I had no choice because I changed my sponsor to Target Darts, that's the only reason. My form is good with the new ones now.
SID: Good luck Aidy.
ADRIAN: Thanks Sid. I hope you're back on your feet. Looking forward to seeing you after your treatment.
Tune in for the World Darts Championship live on Sky Sports from Thursday December 15 until Monday January 2.
