"If I could make it in 2028, I'd love to be there": Adrian Lewis sets his own sights on World Matchplay comeback
PDCSaturday, 18 July 2026 at 13:17
Adrian Lewis has never made a secret of his love for the World Matchplay. The two-time world champion has fond memories of the prestigious tournament in Blackpool, where he reached the semi-finals four times and made it to the final in 2013. Although a return to the Winter Gardens seems a long way off for the time being, the Englishman has not ruled out the possibility of standing on the podium there again in the future.
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Lewis has taken a break from professional darts, but is still active in exhibition tournaments. Shortly before the start of the 2026 World Matchplay, he was in Cork, Ireland, where he said he was currently focusing on enjoying his life.
But that he is certainly looking forward to the World Matchplay. The 41-year-old Englishman still follows professional darts very closely. He keeps a close eye on the results, and as the World Matchplay draws nearer, memories of his own performances in Blackpool come flooding back.
"Yeah, it certainly does. I think the Matchplay being my favourite tournament. I've always loved the Matchplay," he said to Darts World.
"I just think that, personally for me, coming off the back of the Premier League — obviously that finishes at the end of May. Is it the end of May? Yeah, thank goodness. Sorry, I do apologise. Then obviously you've got all the football crowd, haven't you, during the Premier League nights, and then to go on to the Matchplay, which to me is like proper dart fans. I think I've always just thrived on that. I've loved it, yeah.
"It's just iconic. I think everything about it, I just think it's fantastic. Do you know what I mean? Just from the crowd, the atmosphere, even the build-up to it. Everybody's looking at the draw. It's unbelievable, yeah."
"So what stands out for me about the Matchplay, my early memories would have been Phil Taylor hitting the nine-darter against Chris Mason for the £100,000. I think he was buying everybody a drink for it."
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🎰"I might try and have a word with the PDC".
"If I didn't do Q School, I'd like to do the Challenge Tour, just to get me back in the competition side of things"@jackpot180 talked to @paulmason1986… pic.twitter.com/SO56blkJO8
Asked what stands out when it comes to his own personal memories, he reached four semi-finals and a final. He recounted those memories of facing Taylor. "Obviously when I played MVG in the semi-final, what a cracking game. I think we both averaged probably 107 maybe.
"To be fair, I maintained the form in the final as well against Phil. I think I averaged 108 in the final and still got smashed up. 18–13 I think it was. But yeah, I love it. Like I said, I just love the Matchplay."
Grand Slam seen as better game and his own return
Lewis, though, like some say, thinks that his Grand Slam meeting with Taylor later that year is his greatest game. "I'd say so. I think, like I said, at one point I was 9–8 down and I averaged 117. Do you know what I mean? And you're 9–8 down. So, yeah. You've got to say, yeah.
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"It's alright if you're averaging massive averages in a short-format game, but when you're doing it over that kind of distance, that's when you know you're playing well."
He said on this year's tournament that he is very much still in tune with the sport even if he is not fully around. "Luke Littler's on for the Grand Slam, as they say. But you can't write off Luke Humphries. I think he's just brilliant, isn't he? Everything Luke does is mustard.
Adrian Lewis won two world titles
He has a dream of returning to the World Matchplay one day and said he wants it soon. But is also of the view of course that it isn't as easy as that.
"I'd love to be there. 2027, if I could. I mean, you're six months behind. Say personally, if I did get my Tour Card back in January, you're already six months behind on the ProTour Order of Merit. So it's very doubtful. Unless you're winning on a regular basis, it'd be very difficult to make it there. But if I could make it in 2028, I'd love to be there.
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His plans are also to try and play Challenge Tour even if he went to Q-School and build himself back up. But he admits it is a big if. "Just basically, like I said, just try and enjoy it. I think I might try and have a word with the PDC. If they didn't do the Q School, I'd like to do the Challenge Tour, just get myself back into the competition side of things and just try and build from there.
"But I need to sort my mind out first. My mind's up and down. Do you know what I mean? I need to be 100% focused. I'm not at the moment."
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Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
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