"It's important to spend some time with your family. You've got to get the right balance. If it's all darts, you'll then just burn out."
Wednesday 4 September 2019 13:04, UK
Adrian Lewis is feeling refreshed following his summer break as he sets his sights on winning a first individual major title since 2014.
The two-time world champion has endured a mixed 2019 thus far, but he's confident of recapturing his form at the right time as he targets a third triumph at the Alexandra Palace later this year.
The mercurial Stoke-on-Trent star won his first PDC ranking title since April 2017 in March, defeating Raymond van Barneveld to win a Players Championship event in Barnsley.
However, 'Jackpot' has been unable to build on that success and he has failed to go beyond the semi-finals of any PDC ranking event since.
"I think I've had an up and down year," Lewis told Sky Sports.
"That's the biggest one the Worlds, second is the World Matchplay and then you'd have to say the Premier League I think."
"I won a Pro Tour, I've made a few semi's and finals but as a whole it can be better, I've just got to keep working at it really.
"This is the time where you want to start hitting top form now, this is the time you have to work really hard in building up towards the World Championships, there's that many TV tournaments now coming up."
Although Lewis has shown glimpses of his brilliant best on the Pro Tour this term, his performances in televised events have been particularly underwhelming.
He's failed to register a solitary victory in a major TV event this year, suffering opening round exits at the Masters, UK Open and World Matchplay against Peter Wright, Jamie Lewis and Glen Durrant respectively.
The next major televised tournament on the calendar is October's World Grand Prix in Dublin, a tournament where Lewis has not progressed beyond the last eight since reaching the final in 2010.
Nevertheless, with a series of big tournaments on the horizon, the two-time world champion is confident of climbing back up the rankings and adding another major title to his haul, as he bids to end his five-year drought.
"My target is just to jump as high as I can in the rankings really," the former Premier League star said.
"I'm sitting at number 15 now, I'm not really defending anything from now until the World Championship, so just keep moving up now.
"I'll see if I can pinch a little TV tournament here or there, hopefully the Worlds. You have to get yourself right for the Worlds.
"If you can't get yourself right for that you shouldn't be playing. That's the biggest one the Worlds, second is the World Matchplay and then you'd have to say the Premier League I think."
Lewis was defending £30,000 in prize money at the Matchplay by virtue of reaching the semi-finals in 2017 and his defeat to Durrant saw him relinquish his spot in the world's top 16 - a position he has since reclaimed.
"Obviously I was defending the semi-final of the World Matchplay which knocked me back, losing to Glen [Durrant] in the first round," the 34-year-old added.
"It was a tough draw but they're all tough draws. It just depends on if you turn up then you've got a great chance, if not you don't win.
"I think the averages are pretty similar to what they have been throughout but the odd game people are knocking in 110 and 115's. That's happening on a regular basis now."
However, while many of the PDC's biggest names were competing Down Under on the World Series circuit last month, 'Jackpot' enjoyed some time away from the sport and he has returned feeling refreshed.
Lewis, who marked his return to competitive action with a third round defeat to Cameron Menzies in last weekend's Austrian Darts Championship, believes it is crucial to find the right work-life balance.
"Obviously all the boys were over at the World Series where I just took five weeks off playing," he said.
"I'd only had two hours practice before last weekend, but this is where I start building up now.
"It's important to spend some time with your family. You've got to get the right balance. If it's all darts, you'll then just burn out.
"I think after that break everyone wants to get back to it and get a bit of normality back to your life."
It's not long to wait until darts is back on Sky Sports, the World Grand Prix gets underway on Sunday, October 6 at Dublin's Citywest Arena and seven days of coverage continues until the final on Saturday, October 12.
