James Wade has regained his love for darts as he targets third title at World Grand Prix
Wednesday 7 October 2020 23:30, UK
James Wade admits he has rediscovered his passion for darts as he targets another title at the World Grand Prix.
The two-time champion was denied a third Dublin triumph when he suffered a painful 5-3 defeat to Michael van Gerwen in last year's final.
Van Gerwen was again victorious when the pair met in this summer's World Matchplay final, but for Wade, who briefly lost his passion for the sport, these results mark a positive upturn in his career.
The 32-year-old's status as one of the world's top players was left in doubt after he was omitted from the 2014 Premier League, but he responded by winning The Masters that year and will begin another title bid with a first round match against Mensur Suljovic, live on Sky Sports.
I'm lucky I have a second chance at it and I've fallen in love with the game again.
Wade told Sky Sports: "I don't want to just throw myself into the game 100 per cent, because if I do that with something then I fall out of love with it. I've just got to keep carrying on as I am, do a bit more here and there, and at the moment it seems to be working.
"The last year I really started to enjoy the game again. Before I wasn't for years and life is easier if you're doing something that you enjoy. I'm lucky I have a second chance at it and I've fallen in love with the game again."
Despite a more positive outlook, Wade freely admits that he was "hurt" by that defeat to Van Gerwen 12 months ago, which saw him throw away a commanding position in the match.
"Against Michael when I lost last year in the final, I missed three darts at double 10 to go 4-2 up," said Wade. "That was just terrible and you can't do that.
"How it happened, I just don't know. It was just stupidity and for some reason it just didn't go in. I think I kicked myself constantly throughout that game which didn't help me.
"In the World Matchplay final, I didn't deserve to win that game. If you don't deserve it you have to stop yourself from being upset, but in the Grand Prix I deserved to win that game. That one hurt."
Wade has etched his name in World Grand Prix history, collecting titles in 2007 and 2010, and was involved in arguably its greatest ever match as he and Robert Thornton both made nine-darters during last year's second round clash.
His Scottish opponent had suffered the death of the his mother before the match and Wade looks back on his victory with mixed emotions.
"That will go down as one of the best games," he said. "Robert had buried his mum that day and everyone I spoke to said Robert wouldn't play well that day because of what had happened. But I knew that he would play the best darts he's played, and he did.
"It was a nice game to be involved in, but a bit of a sad game to be involved in as well."
Suljovic will stand in the way of his progress next week and he expects plenty of gamesmanship from the Austrian dangerman, who ousted Gary Anderson before he was defeated by Wade in the World Matchplay quarter-finals.
"He's a tactics man rather than a darts player in my opinion, but there you go," said Wade.
"He doesn't play darts like I think he should play darts. If you start doing well, he slows down and starts playing up. There are no rules to say you can't, but in my eyes it's not how you play a game of darts."
Live World Grand Prix Darts
Wade has experienced both pain and glory on the oche and refuses to boldly predict whether he will make a repeat appearance in the final.
Asked about his own hopes, he replied: "If the right James turns up, then the darts is far easier then."
Watch the opening night of the World Grand Prix this Sunday on Sky Sport 3 from 7pm.
