Darts star James Wade makes Premier League plea after World Series selections

JAMES WADE COLUMN: The Machine has been picked for the Australia, New Zealand, and USA World Series events coming up

I’m back from Germany and had to dump my bag and start fresh since I’m off to Austria for the Austrian Darts Open. Traveling for Players Championship events abroad can be really tough. Competing in the UK – like in Leicester, Wigan, and Milton Keynes -is already a challenge, but playing behind closed doors overseas is a whole different ball game.

I mentioned in this column that while people often compare today’s top players to legends from 20 years ago – like Phil Taylor, Adria Lewis, Raymond van Barneveld, Gary Anderson, and James Wade – the level of talent now is just stunning.

On Monday, I averaged 98.8 but lost in the second round to someone who averaged 120 over three legs! Then on Tuesday, I averaged 101 for the event and still got knocked out in the third round. Rob Cross, a former world champ, hit an average of 114, and let’s be real, that’s tough to keep up with.

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Right now, Wessel Nijman seems to be the best player around, but he’s doing it behind closed doors. It’ll be interesting to see if he can keep it up in front of the cameras or if he’s more comfortable in the quiet setting of the Players Championship. Either way, what he’s done is pretty impressive.

I’m heading to Austria feeling really confident; I’m playing well. Sometimes you just need a bit of luck, but I’m sure I can break through and win a European Tour event soon.

I’m also pumped about the World Series, which is taking me to Australia, New Zealand, and the USA (especially playing at Madison Square Garden), plus the Nordic Darts Masters. Fingers crossed, this will help me get noticed for the Premier League next year!

If you’re not already following me on social media, now’s a great time to do it! I’m making more of an effort on my channels and even trying out TikTok – let’s see how that goes.

Alright, time to pack my bag! Take care, Wadey.

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