James Wade is one of the most decorated players in darts history, but he believes winning the World Darts Championship is what would cement his legacy in the sport.
In his career, Wade won the World Match Play, World Grand Prix, British Open, European Championship, Premier League and Masters, cementing him as one of the greats of the game.
However, it is the world that has always eluded him. He made four semi-finals in 2009, 2012, 2013 and 2022, but never made it to the big dance.
He also heads into this year’s tournament on the back of three straight second-round exits, motivating him to make sure he makes a run this time around.
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James Wade defeated Luke Littler for the first time and knocked him out of the European Championship.
With that in mind, Wade admits they are nervous going into the game but hopes his brilliant form in 2025, which has seen him move up to world No.7, will help him do so at the Ali Pali, especially as he believes he is in the later stages of his career.
“I’m nervous to be honest, I just want to run well and I’m not three years old. I’m looking forward to it though,” Wade said.
“Not really (that he clicked on that stage) but hopefully I’ll eventually make it to the final. It’s been 22 years and counting. So I’ve got to have a chance sooner or later for sure.”
“I’ve been trying to get motivated. I’ve been trying to get to the final, but so far it hasn’t worked out.
“I’d like to get into the later stage and hopefully this year will be the year. I’m running out of years because obviously I won’t be playing forever. Retirement is not far off.”
“Now I have probably a limited number, a limited number of years to do something and actually beat what has eluded me.”
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James Wade hit six perfect shots, but the seventh missed the pavement during his semifinal against Johnny Clayton at the World Series.
While the retirement talk may come as a shock given the way Wade has been playing, for him how long he plays is a decision based on putting his family first, not the level at which he throws.
“It’s not that I won’t be able to play darts, but I think there comes a point where you stop traveling because you have a young family, you know? And that’s probably the most important thing, well, that’s the most important thing in my life, a young family,” he said.
“So I’ve got a good few years left, but I don’t want to just spend their entire childhood or all the years before they’re 16. I don’t think that’s fair to them.”
So what is it about the worlds that would make a difference for Wade? It’s a case of taking home the one everyone knows about and highlighting everything he’s achieved before.
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Michael Smith and James Wade traded six ton-plus finishes in their World Cup semi-final encounter at Ali Pali.
“I think that would just be the icing on the cake for me,” Wade added.
“I think a lot of people don’t really realize how much I’ve won and what I’ve done.”
“It would be nice to finish it for myself and I think if I win the world title, people might also be more aware of what I’ve done in the past.”
“That might make me stand out even more. I’d be pretty sweet.”
“If I’m being completely honest, I’ve stopped worrying about pleasing so many people and doing more and more. Now I just do my own thing.”
“I stopped worrying so much about people not knowing. I realized it wasn’t that important compared to what I was doing for myself and my family.”
Who will win the Paddy Power World Darts Championship? Watch every match exclusively live from 11 December to 3 January on the dedicated darts channel Ski Sports (Ski channel 407 from 10 December). Stream darts and more top sports with NOW.