It’s pain for Wayne as Wade bags semi
JAMESWADE took aim at Wayne Mardle after sending The King packing from the Palace on New Year’s Day to reach the semi-finals of thewilliam Hillworld Championship. Wade dismissed Mervyn King in five straight sets before trying to set the record straight about his title credentials being played down by Sky Sports’ top pundit.
Mardle, who lost four PDC World Championship semi-finals, has upset the 38-year-old multiple major champion by apparently writing him off as a contender to lift the Sidwaddell Trophy tomorrow.
Wade, now himself a four-time Ally Pally semi-finalist but also so far unable to take that next step, said: “People like Wayne Mardle don’t think I’m good enough but I’ve won more than he did.
“I love provingwayne wrong. I probably won more in two weeks than he did in his entire career. Our careers are not comparable at all.
“He says a few silly things at times but it’s not justwayne, most people write me off.”
The left-hander from Aldershot has only dropped a single set in his run to his first world semi-final in nine years.
He narrowly lost his previous three battles at that stage, including a controversial defeat to Adrian Lewis in 2012 dubbed ‘Windgate’ whenwade let slip a 5-1 lead to lose 6-5 after agreeing to depart the stage because of a draft.
“Let’s be honest, if I hadn’t been a gentleman and been like Adrian instead I would have won that game easily,” saidwade.
“If I had stayed on the stage there is no way I would’ve lost to
Adrian and there is no way I would have lost to Andy Hamilton in the final.
“But people like Adrian are not here anymore.
“They don’t get in the latter stages anymore and I do.
“Look at what I’ve won and look at what others have won. My record is pretty clear.
“I go back towayne Mardle as well and his constant silly remarks. I’ve been here forever and I’ve been a thorn in their sides.”
Mardle took to Twitter to respond to Wade’s comments, tweeting: “Apparently I live in more players’ heads than I thought!”
Wade also hit out at Arsenal FC after they stopped him getting a New Year’s Eve curry at his North London hotel.
“The Arsenal team were in the hotel we are staying in so they shut everything down for them – and it’s bloody annoying,” he added.
“I wanted a nice curry but I won and they lost today, which is fantastic.”
Two-time world champion Gary Anderson triumphed in the second semi-final yesterday afternoon.
The Scotsman stormed past Luke Humphries, winning 5-2 with the help of four ton-plus checkouts.
Anderson, who is now on the brink of reaching his sixth Alexandra Palace final since 2011, warned: “I’m not even playing my best yet.
“I’m nowhere near it but I’m here again for another day and I’ll give it a good go.”
The 2015 and 2016 winner left the stage to a rapturous ovation from the crowd after some pantomime booing during the match.
He added: “It wasn’t like that when I started here as a Scotsman all those years ago.
“I still had bit of banter with them during the game. It’s taken a long time to win them round but it’s nice to get that today.”