Players Championship darts: James Wade makes winning start to PDC ProTour season after missing out on Premier League pick

James Wade has kicked off his Players Championship campaign in style, claiming his 12th PDC title as he outlasted Nathan Aspinall 8-6 in the final. The Stockport-born star's victory marked a significant boost to his career ahead of the Premier League season.

Wade's performance was nothing short of dominant, producing a series of impressive displays that saw him secure four deciding-leg victories before dispatching Aspinall in the final. His winning margin was 2 legs, and he averaged over 100 points per set throughout the match.

The 42-year-old acknowledged that he was relieved to have secured his first title of the season, but also expressed disappointment at missing out on a Premier League wild-card pick. Wade stated that he believed he should have been included in the eight-player line-up but felt that the PDC had picked players who represented the game best.

Wade's victory has sent ripples through the darts world, with many viewing it as a statement of intent from one of the sport's top players. His performance against Michael van Gerwen was particularly impressive, as he took out finishes of 104, 127, 130 and 137 before coming back from 5-3 down to seal the win.

Aspinall, who had been looking to make a winning start to his season, put up a strong fight but ultimately fell short. He had previously dumped out Arno Merk, Madars Razma and Joe Hunt in quick succession, and was on course for an early exit before Wade's stunning comeback.

The PDC ProTour season continues with Players Championship Two on Tuesday, setting the stage for what promises to be a thrilling few weeks of darts action.
 
๐Ÿค” I'm stoked for James Wade, no doubt about that! 12th PDC title is a big deal, but honestly, it feels a bit rushed... Like he just cruised past everyone ๐Ÿš€. Nathan Aspinall put up a good fight, though ๐Ÿ‘. I mean, the guy's on fire ๐Ÿ’ฅ! But can he keep this momentum going? The Premier League season is coming up, and Wade's gotta show they're not just a one-off win kind of player ๐Ÿ”ฎ. Still, I'm hyped to see what's next for him ๐ŸŽ‰. And I love how humble he is about it - like, the disappointment thing is genuine ๐Ÿ˜. Can't wait to see more darts action at Players Championship Two ๐Ÿ“บ!
 
Ugh, 42 and still dominating ๐Ÿคฏ! I mean, James Wade is a legend and all but can't he just make some changes to the PDC ProTour schedule? Like, having only one Players Championship event in February is whack ๐Ÿ˜’. He's got his first title of the season and now he's gotta wait another 3 months for his next big push? Come on PDC! Can we get a mid-season break or something? Wade's just trying to set up for the Premier League season, but it feels like he's always playing catch-up ๐Ÿ•ฐ๏ธ. Aspinall put up a good fight though, gotta respect that ๐Ÿ™. Now let's hope the next event is better organized, we don't need any more schedule clashes! ๐Ÿ˜ฉ
 
Ugh ๐Ÿค•, just saw that James Wade finally won his 12th PDC title but he's still not getting the Premier League wild-card pick ๐Ÿ™„, like what even is the point of all this? He had an epic comeback against van Gerwen tho, took out some crazy scores ๐Ÿ’ฅ. Nathan Aspinall gave it a good go but just couldn't keep up ๐Ÿ˜”, and now Wade's gonna be all hyped for the next tournament ๐ŸŽ‰... meanwhile, we got more of the same darts drama unfolding ๐Ÿ‘€.
 
omg 8-6 is insane james wade is on fire lol i'm still shook by that final ๐Ÿคฏ he played so clutch, especially after coming back from 5-3 down ๐Ÿ˜‚ what's wrong with the pdc wild card pick tho? seems like james had it in the bag ๐Ÿ‘€ anyway, wade's win is a huge statement of intent for his premier league career ๐Ÿ†๐ŸŽฏ
 
man i'm loving james wade's form right now ๐Ÿคฉ he's been on fire and it's amazing to see him break free from that 5-3 down hole against van gerwen ๐Ÿ™Œ that comeback is just mental! i think the pdc pro tour season is gonna be so intense with these top players competing for those premier league wild-card spots ๐Ÿค‘
 
I gotta say, James Wade is killing it right now ๐Ÿคฏ! 12th title and he's still got game at 42, that's insane! He played some mind-blowing darts throughout the tournament and I'm not surprised he took down Nathan Aspinall in the final. His comeback story was epic, going from 5-3 down to winning the match, that's what makes him a top player ๐ŸŽฏ.

I feel for Aspinall though, he gave it his all but just came up short ๐Ÿ˜”. But Wade's statement of intent is definitely making waves in the darts world, and I'm excited to see how this season plays out ๐Ÿ‘€. Bring on Players Championship Two!
 
I gotta say, James Wade's win is pretty impressive ๐Ÿค”. I mean, he dominated that final against Aspinall and showed why he's one of the best in the game ๐Ÿ˜Ž. But at the same time, it's a bit weird that he's not getting that Premier League wild-card pick ๐Ÿคทโ€โ™‚๏ธ. Like, if he's so good, why not include him in the line-up? It just seems like the PDC is trying to handpick their favorite players and leave the rest out of it ๐Ÿ˜’. On the other hand, Wade's reaction was pretty fair - he believes he should have been included and that the PDC picked the right players for the job ๐Ÿค. Guess you can't blame a guy for standing up for himself, right? ๐Ÿคทโ€โ™‚๏ธ
 
๐ŸŽฏ I'm so stoked for James Wade! He totally killed it in the final and showed everyone why he's one of the best ๐Ÿ™Œ. 2 legs down and back to win, that's some next-level stuff ๐Ÿ˜ฒ. His stats were insane, averaging over 100 points per set? That's like a pro footballer on the dartboard โšฝ๏ธ! He totally deserved that title and it's gonna give him a major boost for the Premier League season ๐Ÿ†. Nathan Aspinall put up a good fight but Wade was just unstoppable ๐Ÿ’ช. Can't wait to see what he does next, maybe some new trophy in his cabinet?
 
๐Ÿคฉ James Wade just smashed it! 12th title is crazy! I was glued to my screen watching him take down Nathan Aspinall ๐Ÿ“บ. That comeback from 5-3 down was insane ๐Ÿ’ฅ. Wade's form is on fire right now and that Premier League wild-card pick snub is gonna sting ๐Ÿ˜”. He's sending a clear message to the darts world - he's still got it! ๐Ÿ’ช The way he took out those finishes in his win against Van Gerwen ๐Ÿคฏ, 104, 127, 130, and 137! That's what we're talking about ๐Ÿ”ฅ Can't wait for Players Championship Two this week! ๐Ÿ˜„
 
๐Ÿคฉ๐Ÿ‘ James Wade is killing it in the world of darts right now! He outlasted Nathan Aspinall in an epic final and proved why he's one of the top players around ๐ŸŽฏ๐Ÿ”ฅ I mean, averaging over 100 points per set? That's insane! ๐Ÿ‘€ He really showed off his skills in that match, especially against Michael van Gerwen ๐Ÿคฏ And sorry to hear that Nathan Aspinall didn't get the result he wanted, but Aspinall was on a roll before Wade came back strong ๐Ÿ’ช
 
omg u guys i just watched james wade crush it at the players championship ๐Ÿคฏ๐ŸŽพ he was SO dominant out there averaging 100+ points per set and taking down aspinall in the final 8-6 what a comeback! i'm literally hyped for him to do well in the premier league season ๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿ”ฅ can't wait to see more of his darts skills ๐Ÿคธโ€โ™‚๏ธ
 
I donโ€™t usually comment but... I think James Wade is proving that he's still got it at 42! The way he dominated that final was insane ๐Ÿคฏ. His average was over 100 points per set, which is just ridiculous. And yeah, missing out on a Premier League wild-card pick must be really frustrating for him too ๐Ÿ˜”. But you have to give the guy credit - he's still executing at such a high level after all these years. I'm loving the rivalry between Wade and van Gerwen right now too... those two are always pushing each other to new heights ๐Ÿ’ช
 
[Throwing hands up in the air] ๐Ÿคฏ๐ŸŽฏ๐Ÿ˜‚

[Image of a cartoon dart player throwing a perfect score]

[Caption]: when you finally get that 12th title, but realize it's not enough for the Premier League wild-card pick ๐Ÿ™„

[Picture of James Wade with a proud smile and thumbs up]

[Caption]: your boy @JWadederick is on FIRE ๐Ÿ”ฅ

[GIF of Nathan Aspinall looking disappointed with a "Oh no" reaction]

[Caption]: when you get dumped out by the veteran ๐Ÿ˜”
 
๐Ÿค” gotta give it up for James Wade, he's on fire! 12th PDC title and all, but that final scoreline 8-6 is a bit concerning ๐Ÿ™ƒ. He was supposed to be one of the top picks for the Premier League wild-card pick, so you'd think he'd be in a stronger position now. Can't help but wonder if the PDC made the right call on those picks... maybe Wade's win will send some waves and get them rethinking ๐ŸŒŠ. Still, Wade's form is undeniable, especially against Michael van Gerwen ๐Ÿ‘. This season's gonna be a wild ride!
 
What a legend James Wade is! He's like a fine wine gets better with age ๐Ÿ˜Ž, still throwing 100+ average and taking down the best players. I love how he's not afraid to speak his mind too - those PDC officials should listen to him, maybe give him that wild-card pick ๐Ÿค‘. And honestly, who needs a Premier League spot when you've got titles like this under your belt? The darts world is gonna be on fire with Wade in top form ๐Ÿ”ฅ!
 
man this james wade is on fire ๐Ÿ”ฅ his performance in the players championship was insane he played so calm and focused I mean 100 points per set is crazy even michael van gerwen got beat by him ๐Ÿ˜ฑ Aspinall put up a good fight but at the end of the day wade's experience and skill just took over ๐Ÿค what's even more impressive is that he only turned 42 this year so I guess you could say he's still getting better with age ๐Ÿ™ƒ anyway can't wait for players championship two to see who else will be stepping up their game ๐Ÿ’ช
 
OMG, can't believe James Wade just crushed it at the PDC Players Championship! ๐Ÿคฏ He was on fire, averaging over 100 points per set and taking out some insane finishes ๐ŸŽฏ๐Ÿ”ฅ. I'm loving how he's pushing himself to be one of the best in the sport - this is gonna be a huge year for him, especially with Premier League season coming up ๐Ÿ†.

I've got to say, Nathan Aspinall gave it his all but just couldn't quite keep up with Wade's pace ๐Ÿ’ช. But what I love about James is that he's not just winning, he's making statements - like that impressive comeback against Michael van Gerwen was EVERYTHING ๐Ÿ˜. The darts world is gonna be watching him closely, and I'm here for it! ๐Ÿ“บ

So, who's ready for the next Players Championship? ๐Ÿค” I know me! It's gonna be a wild ride with all these talented players going head-to-head ๐Ÿ’ฅ. Bring it on! ๐Ÿ”ฅ
 
awww man he's really showing off his skills ๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿ”ฅ and it's amazing how far he's come! 42 and still dominating on the dartboard is truly inspiring ๐Ÿ™Œ he's got so much experience under his belt, but that doesn't stop him from delivering those incredible performances ๐Ÿ˜ฒ i think the fact that he's competing at the Premier League level shows just how high his standards are ๐Ÿ’ฏ
 
I'm telling you, something fishy is going on with these players' schedules ๐Ÿค”. First, Wade's performance in the Players Championship, and then he misses out on that Premier League wild-card pick? It's like they're trying to throw us off track! And have you seen Aspinall's path to the final? He gets knocked out by everyone except Wade? That's not a coincidence, I'm telling you... ๐Ÿšจ
 
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