COLUMN: Adrian Lewis' comeback is blessing for the sport, and who are the biggest standouts and disappointments in 2024?

Every first week of the month, editor-in-chief Pieter Verbeek looks back on one or more things that caught his eye in the month(s) before. This column looks back at the first half of the season. In addition, the writer looks forward to the return of Adrian Lewis on the darts circuit.

With the World Matchplay and the recent trifecta of Players Championship tournaments, the first half of the season came to an end. In Blackpool, Luke Humphries underlined once again that he is currently a class apart at the major tournaments by beating Michael van Gerwen after a thrilling final 18-15. Of the last seven ranking majors, five were won by "Cool Hand Luke," who currently holds a huge lead at the top of the PDC Order of Merit. For now, there is nothing to suggest that that dominance will come to an end in the fall. Moreover, at almost all major tournaments in the fall, Humphries is the defending champion. Only at the World Series Finals and the European Championship is the world number one not the defending champion.

On the Pro Tour, things are different. Seventeen Players Championship tournaments have been played this season, resulting in sixteen (!) different winners. Only Luke Littler managed to win two Players Championship titles. World class players such as Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen, Nathan Aspinall, Rob Cross, Gerwyn Price, Peter Wright and James Wade have yet to win a Players Championship this year. It proves once again that the strength of the field of competitors at these events has never been more competitive. Every player who shows up, even replacements from the Challenge Tour, have the game to win on their best day.

Ross Smith is having an outstanding season for now. He already earned 129,000 pounds in ranking money this season, something which only three players did better. 'Smudger' must defend his 2022 European Championship title later this year, but the Englishman is doing well to 'cover' the prize money he earned then. At the World Matchplay, Smith handsomely made it to the quarterfinals. Don't be surprised if we start seeing him well into tournaments in the coming weeks, too.

Of course, we can't ignore Luke Littler either. In his first year on the PDC Tour within a few months he already has two World Series titles, two Pro Tour titles, two Euro Tour titles and the Premier League Darts in his pocket. It is now waiting for 'The Nuke' to win his first ranking major.

Men like Josh Rock, Ryan Searle and Gary Anderson are also performing fantastically on the Pro Tour this season. However, they are still looking for a good result at a televised tournament. At least in the fall, they will have plenty of opportunities to do so.

Looking a little lower down the year rankings, we can conclude that players like Ritchie Edhouse (24th), Cameron Menzies (34th) and Wessel Nijman (43rd) are having a good season.

We cannot ignore the fact that Peter Wright is the biggest disappointment this season. 'Snakebite' has now dropped to 12th place in the world rankings. On the annual ranking, Wright is only 26th. His annual average is 91.85, which puts him in 49th place of all Tour Card holders.

Gerwyn Price is a special issue. His yearly average (98.00) is the fourth highest of all, but 'The Iceman' has so far failed to translate his play into good results. Price won a World Series title, but otherwise the Welshman is dry. It seems to be waiting for the next hit from Price, who won his last ranking major in November 2021.

What goes for Price also goes for Michael van Gerwen. 'Mighty Mike' also has only one World Series title. In recent months, however, Van Gerwen has been reporting more and more in the final stages of tournaments, which offers perspective for the busy fall season. The last time Van Gerwen won a ranking major was also some time ago, the Players Championship Finals in November 2022. It is high time for Van Gerwen to reap old-fashioned rewards once again.

Other players underperforming this season are Joe Cullen (27th on annual ranking), Krzysztof Ratajski (32nd on annual ranking), Nathan Aspinall (33rd on annual ranking) and Gabriel Clemens (47th on annual ranking). Aspinall can still use his persistent arm injury as an excuse. 'The Asp' is now undergoing treatment and hopes to make his comeback in mid-September. Let's hope Aspinall can return to full strength, as he remains a fun player to watch.

Let's end with the good news that seeped through in late July. Adrian Lewis is going to make his comeback in 2025. It won't be on the PDC circuit just yet, but the first step is there. 'Jackpot' has signed a contract with leading management agency MODUS, which also organizes the online darts competition MODUS Super Series. There, Lewis will begin his comeback in 2025, after he suddenly announced he was taking a break in the spring of 2023.

For the new generation of darts fans, a little introduction to Adrian Lewis. The Englishman became world champion in 2011 and 2012 and at the time was tipped as the heir apparent to his former mentor, Phil Taylor. However, Lewis failed to live up to that expectation despite his dual world title wins. Lewis is known for his fast playing style and impressive scores. His ability to throw quick 180s and his flair on stage make him a joy to watch.

Let's hope Lewis finds his joy of darts for good in 2025, so we can admire him again on the PDC circuit in 2026. Because a Lewis in top form would be a bonus to the sport of darts. Incidentally, I would not be opposed to Lewis being handed a Tour Card as a sort of wildcard for the 2026-2027 seasons. In snooker, the World Snooker Tour, which like the PDC falls under Matchroom Sport, has the ability to award Tour Cards to players who have made outstanding contributions to the sport. PDC world champions should be able to qualify for that (one-off) as far as I am concerned.