James Wade in top form as he moves into semifinals at 2024 World Matchplay after impressive win over Ross Smith

James Wade is the first semifinalist at the 2024 World Matchplay. 'The Machine' won 16-10 over Ross Smith on Thursday night in Blackpool in the first semi-final, throwing some of his best darts in a long while in the process.

The 41-year-old Englishman was typically very effective on his finishes. Especially in the second and third sessions of the match, Wade hurt his compatriot considerably with a number of well-timed 100+ finishes.

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After the first session the lead was still with Smith, who managed to break Wade in the fifth leg of the match with a fine 12-darter. An 87 finish then gave 'Smudger' a 4-2 lead. Wade then halved the deficit with a 14-darter, before Smith missed one chance at double 16 in the eighth leg to maintain the lead. Wade punished this miss by throwing in 120 out for the equalizer. Wade then seized the initiative with a 70 finish and a 121 checkout. A 13-darter then brought Wade to a 7-4, before Smith interrupted his compatriot's run with an 80 finish. Then, however, came the next move from "The Machine," who produced a 101 check-out in the 13th leg. A 14-darter then took Wade to a 9-5 lead.

Smith erased a break deficit via a 107 finish in the fifteenth leg, but then surrendered his own throw with three misses on the outer ring. Wade ran out to a 12-7 lead moments later, before Smith cut the deficit to 12-8 with a 12-darter.

In the final session, Smith managed to break Wade twice, but the former European Championship winner also surrendered his own leg each time. Wade took a 76 finish to take a 15-10 lead, after which the eleven-time major winner finished off the job with a 61 finish. Wade, meanwhile, was ready for a good performance at the World Matchplay, which was surely his most successful tournament in the past. In his first ten participations from 2006 to 2015, "The Machine" reached the quarter-finals in Blackpool no less than ten times in a row. In 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012 and 2015 Wade also reached the final, but only in 2007 did he lift the trophy. In 2015 was the last time Wade was in the last four at the World Matchplay.