“I’m not sure I deserved the booing, and a handshake like this” – Madars Razma questions frosty reaction from James Wade and World Masters crowd

Madars Razma has questioned both the crowd reaction and his post-match treatment after his opening-night defeat at the Winmau World Masters, sharing his disappointment publicly following a tense 3–2 loss on the opening night of the tournament.

“Yes, I come from a small country and I’m not a Major champion in darts, but I’m not sure if I deserved the booing from crowd and the handshake like this on stage and backstage tonight,” Razma wrote on social media.

Razma’s comments came after a closely fought first-round match against James Wade that was settled on fine margins. Wade opened the contest with a 124 checkout on the bull, but Razma took the opening set by pinning double 18.

Wade responded by sweeping the second set 2–0, before producing his strongest spell of the match in the third, averaging close to 121 to move 2–1 ahead. He went on to complete a 3–2 victory, finishing the match with an overall average above 102 in a high-quality tie.

Attention shifted quickly from the darts to the moments that followed. Wade did not look at Razma during the on-stage handshake, a detail that was noted by viewers and later referenced by Razma in his post.

Razma did not accuse Wade of intent, instead grouping the handshake and the crowd reaction together as part of the same experience, framing his response around how the evening felt rather than the result itself.

What lingers from the opening night is not the scoreline, but the reaction it prompted. Razma’s post has shifted the focus from a high-quality match to the wider experience of playing on the sport’s biggest stages, where margins are thin and emotions are exposed in real time.

Whether the moment fades or fuels further discussion, it has already ensured that Razma’s World Masters exit will be remembered for more than the darts alone, a reminder that how matches end can sometimes resonate just as strongly as how they are won.