"Firmly believe the best way to bounce back from disappointment is to immerse myself in the game of darts": James Wade puts Premier League snub behind him with ProTour win

James Wade has claimed his first Players Championship title of the season in Germany. The experienced Englishman produced a superb day on the floor, defeating the likes of Michael van Gerwen and Nathan Aspinall along the way. For Wade, it was not only a sporting boost but also a clear statement after his disappointment at missing out on a Premier League Darts spot.

“I’m absolutely buzzing after clinching my first Players Championship of the year.” Wade said afterwards as per Daily Star. “The excitement is amplified because I managed to beat two formidable opponents: the legendary Michael van Gerwen in the semi-final and the talented Nathan Aspinall in the final. Talk about impressive scalps."

The veteran admitted that missing out on the Premier League line-up hurt him, but he sees it as extra motivation. “I firmly believe the best way to bounce back from disappointment in the Premier League selection is to immerse myself in the game of darts, and what a phenomenal start this week has been."

Thanks to his tournament victory, Wade storms back into the world’s top eight. There’s also more on the horizon. "I’ve stormed into the world’s top eight, and I’m now just one title away from securing a coveted spot in the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton, as well as a guaranteed place at the Players Championship in Minehead - what a strong kickoff to the season."

His year, however, was anything but ideal to begin with. The trip to Hildesheim in Germany took two intense days. "The year didn’t begin as smoothly as I had hoped, with frenzied travels to Germany (Hildesheim) taking up two intense days, but now I’m feeling revitalised."

Wade had a brutal route to the title. Earlier in the day he escaped twice in last-leg deciders against Karel Sedlacek and Alexander Merkx respectively.

After those nerve-racking contests he stepped it up. With a convincing 6-1 win over Jeffrey de Graaf and a solid 6-3 victory against Austria’s number one Mensur Suljovic, he booked his place in the semi-finals.

There he faced Van Gerwen, still one of the absolute favorites at any tournament where he steps to the oche. Wade, however, stayed cool and took the match. He then finished the job in the final against Aspinall.

Wade’s earlier win over Joe Cullen made it even sweeter. At the World Grand Prix in Leicester he had lost to Cullen during a spell when, by his own admission, he was also struggling away from the board.

I’ll admit, Joe Cullen took me down during the Grand Prix in Leicester when I was struggling away from the board, so it was particularly rewarding to settle the score by denying him victory in a thrilling last-leg shootout.

There’s little time to savor his title for Wade. "But there’s truly no rest for the wicked," he joked. "I’ve just returned from Germany, and now I’m heading off for two exhilarating nights of exhibitions."

In three weeks the next major assignment awaits: the UK Open in Minehead. That tournament is close to Wade’s heart; he has won the event three times and reached the final again last year.

It's just three weeks until the highly anticipated UK Open in Minehead, where I previously triumphed three times and reached the final last year. If I make a deep run in the tournament this time, I could very well find myself climbing to 5th or 6th in the world rankings.