James Wade has been dumped out in the first round of the World Darts Championships in a sensational upset.
Wade, the no.16 seed, was beaten 3-0 by Dutchman Jermaine Wattimena.
It marked the second time Wade was knocked out at the first hurdle since 2006.
Wade’s defeat comes after he declared he’d tastes succes in a major over the coming year in a promotional video for the PDC.
“I think I’ll win a major in the next 12 months, definitely,” he said. “But I set myself a target for the backend of this year and that was top ten.
“I think I’m nearly… I’ll be there, thereabouts, so we’ll do one thing at a time, hopefully that will come and things will work out, they always do eventually.”
Of course, Wade has a number of opportunities to fulfil that promise with the World Matchplay, World Grand Prix, UK Open Premier League and Grand Slam still to come in 2025.
Wattimena is now into the third round for the third time in his career.
Wade did later admit in the same interview that he’s not always at his best at Ally Pally.
He said: “I struggle around the world championships because it’s Christmas time I get quite distracted, it’s probably one of the few times of year that I’m quite happy and enjoy things.
“I kind of get a little bit annoyed that darts is on at Christmas time and I’ve been doing it for 24 years.
“I know it’s on at Christmas time, I don’t know why I act shocked every year. It’s that and the timescale, it’s a long tournament for me to keep my head in the right place.
“But it’s possible, it’s all possible, definitely possible. And I’m starting to regularly beat the top players, so it’s all good signs for me.”
Wattimena will next face the winner of Peter Wright vs Wesley Plaisier in the third round of the tournament.
The Dutchman could then be set to face reigning champion Luke Humphries in the fourth round.
