DARTS ACE DEFENDS WADE OVER SKY SPORTS SNUB REMARK

CHRIS MASON has defended James Wade after he hit out at Sky Sports for not being “shown once” on adverts before his World Matchplay quarter-final. 

10-times major winner Wade beat Gian van Veen 16-13 on Thursday to reach the last four at Blackpool for the TENTH time in his stellar career. 

Fresh off the victory, ‘The Machine’ called out Sky Sports’ decision to leave him out of their adverts while covering the tournament. 

He said: “I probably played some of the better darts out of all dart players. 

“And the whole Sky build-up for tonight didn’t show me once. That was quite a proud moment for me, going up there and following it through. 

“I probably averaged better consistently than most players in here… but not one advertisement. 

“It made me a little bit more hungry. It’s the kind of thing that makes me unhealthy… not weak, but it’s an unfair judgement. 

“Darts isn’t about who’s playing great anymore. It’s about who the press has got hold of and wants to publicise. That’s it. That’s all. 

“You’ll never hear me say this again, but I believe I’m one of the greatest dart players on the planet.” 

Oche veteran Mason believes Wade can be misunderstood and means no disrespect with his comments

He revealed: “His mental health has been well documented and he is obviously not comfortable in front of camera.   

“It’s amazing he can perform on stage in front of the cameras.   

“He is in a world that he knows and feels safe in.   

“I think because of that when he is being interviewed, he comes across as a little bit intrusive. 

“That maybe can rub the media the wrong way and sky or the PDC may feel that.  

“But listen the way he is playing who would not want him in the Premier League or a World Series event.   

“He was invited to a World Series but already planned a holiday because he didn’t think he would be going.” 

World No. 8 Wade has been in magnificent form this year as he made the final of the UK Open and picked up his first senior title since 2022 at the Players Championship 19.  

Former Players Championship Finals winner Paul Nicholson heaped praise on Wade’s longevity in the sport.  

He added: “If he is back in the top four of the world by the time we go to the World Championship we will be talking about this bounce back for decades.   

“We spoke about Simon Whitlock going down the rankings and rebounding once possibly twice.   

“With Wade a lot of people thought we had seen the best of him and we might get five or ten years out of him then he will hover around the top 32.   

“He is back in contention. He has never been world number one but the way he is playing he will pick up more majors.   

“This guy has longevity that we can only dream of.” 

Wade will face Jonny Clayton in the semi-final on Saturday at the Winter Gardens.

Image by Taylor Lanning.