James Wade insists he “deserves” a world title but is yet to ‘crack’ Ally Pally
James Wade believes he “deserves” a world title and insists he would have been crowned World Champion over a decade ago had he not opted for sportsmanship.
Wade is widely regarded as one of the greatest players yet to lift the World Championship trophy, despite racking up ten televised titles to date.
He came closest to scooping the sport’s ultimate prize in 2012, leading Adrian Lewis 5-1 in the Semi-Finals before going on to lose the match 6-5 amid a ‘wind’ incident on stage.
Wade believes his decision to depart the stage midway through the contest cost him a maiden world title.
Speaking on the ‘Up Front with Simon Jordan’ podcast, Wade revealed: “I always used to think it didn’t bother me, but it does bother me because I’m talking about it.
“I do want one [a world title] and I do deserve one.
“Unfortunately I had a mishap in one of the World Championships [2012] that I chose friendship over what benefited me to move on to the final.
“There’s no question of doubt I’d have beaten the other person [Andy Hamilton] in the final.
“I was 4-0 up against Adrian Lewis and there was wind on the stage.
“I had the choice whether to come off or just play on and I’d have won the next set easily – his head was gone.
“I did the gentlemanly thing of walking off and coming back and I believe that was my ‘easy’ one to win.
“Do I deserve it? No. But would I have won it if I hadn’t been soft?”
Wade also reached the Semi-Finals of the World Championship in 2009, 2013 and 2022, but admits he struggles to get to grips with the duration of the event and the venue itself.
He added: “One of the big things is, it’s a long time for me to keep a good mindset. Three weeks is a bloody long time for me.
“Secondly, the venue, every time I get there it just doesn’t feel that exciting for me.
“It doesn’t matter about what’s there at stake, it’s the venue.
“Lots of players say it holds the best atmosphere. For me, I think the best atmosphere in any darts venue is the Winter Gardens in Blackpool because it’s intimate.
“When I go to Alexandra Palace, it feels a little bit cold to me. You can’t falsify things.
“I still haven’t cracked it.”
Wade is currently competing in his 20th season as a PDC professional and remains ranked among the world’s elite top 16.
His most recent major title came at the 2021 UK Open, making him only the third player in history (behind Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen) to win ten or more PDC majors.
Wade, who celebrated his 40th birthday in April this year, admits he may have retired from the sport had he earned more prize money.
He explained: “If I’d have earned enough money out of darts to retire, would I still be playing? I possibly would have walked away by now.
“But I would never know because I’m not in that position.
“I fall in and out of love with the game. Sometimes I’m there and I think ‘I love this job, it’s brilliant’ and other times I just think ‘oh’.
“I believe I’d miss darts, it’s my life isn’t it?
“There’s a stat somewhere which says players get to their best at 43, so I’ve not started yet.”
The Aldershot ace also spoke of being ‘written off’ by critics throughout his career, something which has proved a key motivational factor in his longevity and success at the top level.
“Strangely enough, it matters more than most things for me,” Wade admitted.
“I hear it all the time and I’ve heard it so many times over 20 years ‘he won’t win anything else now, he’s finished’ and as soon as I hear that I’ll go out of my way and become hell bent on doing something again. Maybe that does affect my moods and how I walk into tournaments?
“When I hear someone tell me I can’t do something, I think ‘I can’ and if I can get that bit between my teeth then I know I’ll win another major.
“I know I can win another major within the next 12 months if I do things right and if I want to be there and need to be there, in my mind.
“If I get in that right mood, I know I will. I’ve done that for 20 years and I don’t see that changing any time soon.”
