"He doesn't want to play me I'm sure of it": James Wade defiant ahead of Michael van Gerwen European Tour meeting

James Wade got off to a superb start at the German Darts Championship sealing victory over Maik Kuivenhoven 6-3 finishing the win with a 14-darter to advance to Round Two.

He was pleased with the crowd as he said that in previous years they haven't been the best. But that they have improved somewhat this weekend in Hildesheim.

"Couldn't quite get going but enjoyed it and the crowd were brilliant. The crowd seemed to change a little bit you know. Early doors over the last four or five years they've been quite harsh. Now they seem to enjoy the darts.

"Doesn't matter who they are, they just enjoy it and celebrate it so it's a great thing."

Next up is Michael van Gerwen. They haven't played each other in two years and he sent out a defiant message on taking on the Dutch dynamo.

"I haven't been good enough to get far enough in the tournament to play him so he doesn't want to play me I'm sure of it and I don't want to play him but he knows I'm going to play alright so we'll see."