There is a peculiar unease that creeps in when a season begins without you. For the highly decorated James Wade, that sensation has arrived early, and it has arrived loudly. As preparations intensify for the Winmau World Masters, the veteran finds himself confronting a reality he believes places him on the back foot before a dart has even been released.
The issue is not form. It is not fitness. It is absence. While rivals were boarding flights and soaking up early-season stage time at World Series events in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, Wade was stationary. Watching. Waiting. And, by his own admission, not throwing. Since his second-round World Championship defeat to Ricky Evans, the Aldershot thrower has not picked up a dart for a full month – a conscious pause that now carries consequences.
The concern, as Wade sees it, is experiential. Televised matches. Bright lights. High-pressure rhythms re-established before the calendar truly turns. Those invited into the World Series bubble have already sharpened their instincts in front of cameras and crowds, while others must rediscover that edge under competitive fire.
Speaking to the Daily Star, Wade laid it out plainly: “Christmas break has officially come to an end! After three weeks of complete rest – during which I didn’t pick up a dart at all – I’m now focusing on making a swift start to the season.”
That restart, however, is uneven. “I know I’m already at a disadvantage compared to players who competed in the World Series events held in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.”
For Wade, this is not complaint but context. “It’s simply the reality of the sport. Those who participate in these ‘invitational’ events gain crucial experience in high-pressure situations.” The cameras matter too. “Especially with the added intensity of performing in front of TV cameras.”
He has watched the early storylines unfold. “While Luke Littler won in Saudi, it was fantastic to see Michael van Gerwen triumph in the first event of the year in Bahrain.” And the implications are obvious. “His victory could serve as a strong motivator for him as he aims for an even more successful season ahead.”
Wade is not detached. “I’m definitely keeping an eye on MVG during the Masters at Milton Keynes next week.”
History suggests he has reason to. A former World Masters champion in 2014 and finalist again in 2019, Wade understands the terrain. Yet his last major title came five years ago at the UK Open, and while silverware has eluded him since, relevance has not. Last season delivered finals at both the World Matchplay and the UK Open, defeats administered by Luke Littler but evidence of enduring threat.
Disadvantage or not, Wade’s season begins now. And if history has taught darts anything, it is that writing off The Machine has never been a profitable habit.
—–ENDS—–
Images: PDC
