Wade chose sportsmanship over world title during 'wind-gate': "I believe that was my ‘easy’ one to win"

James Wade is widely regarded as one of the best players never to have won a World Darts Championship. The closest Wade came was in 2012, where he believes he chose sportsmanship over a world title win after the infamous 'wind-gate' incident.

At the 2012 PDC World Darts Championship, Wade was in a semi-final against Adrian Lewis and the left-handed darter was leading 5-1 in sets before a huge gust of wind swept across the stage. After a short break, the darters resumed and Lewis won 6-5 after a brilliant comeback.

“Unfortunately I had a mishap in one of the World Championships that I chose friendship over what benefited me to move on to the final," Wade laments in conversation with former Crystal Palace Football Club owner Simon Jordan on the 'Up Front with Simon Jordan' podcast. “There’s no question of doubt I’d have beaten the other person [Andy Hamilton] in the final."

“I was 4-0 up against Adrian Lewis and there was wind on the stage," he recalls. “I had the choice whether to come off or just play on and I’d have won the next set easily – his head was gone. I did the gentlemanly thing of walking off and coming back and I believe that was my ‘easy’ one to win."

The 40-year-old darter from Aldershot, England, also discussed the fact that he has been written off by critics several times during his career. Funnily enough, that has proved to be the very reason for his greatest successes.

“Strangely enough, it matters more than most things for me,” Wade admits. “I hear it all the time and I’ve heard it so many times over 20 years ‘he won’t win anything else now, he’s finished’ and as soon as I hear that I’ll go out of my way and become hell bent on doing something again."

“When I hear someone tell me I can’t do something, I think ‘I can’ and if I can get that bit between my teeth then I know I’ll win another major," Wade continues. “I know I can win another major within the next 12 months if I do things right and if I want to be there and need to be there, in my mind. If I get in that right mood, I know I will. I’ve done that for 20 years and I don’t see that changing any time soon.”