FORMER StanJames.com World Matchplay champion James Wade began his bid to lift the trophy for a second time with a battling 10-8 win over Andy Smith.
The 2007 winner made hard work of victory, with Smith holding an early lead and remaining ahead until missing nine darts for a 9-7 lead, with Wade taking the final three legs without reply to sneak victory.
Smith took the opening leg before doubling his lead against the darts with a brilliant 151 checkout, only for Wade to fire in a 168 score in taking the third and a 180 plus a 124 bullseye finish to level.
The next six legs were shared to leave the scores tied at five-all before the pair traded 180s in the 11th, with Wade missing at double ten and double five to hit the front, as Smith held throw to lead 6-5 and then took out 116 for a 7-5 cushion.
Wade broke back on double top, and defied a maximum from Smith to win the 14th and square the game.
However, Smith again nudged himself back in front, with Wade hitting a 180 only to see his opponet post double top for an 8-7 lead.
When Wade lost his range on double top in the next, Smith saw his chance to move a leg away from the win arrive - only to then miss nine darts to win the leg as double five allowed the left-hander to square matters.
Wade then moved in for the kill, powering a 180 and double four to move 9-8 up - leading for the first time - before hitting his sixth maximum of the game in an 11-darter, secured with a bullseye-double top 90 finish, to seal the win.
"I'll take the win but I'm not happy with my performance," said Wade. "Everything I did didn't seem to work - I was throwing low of the treble and high of the treble - and Andy probably should have beaten me.
"What I did in the last two legs I probably expected to do for 15 to 20 legs and it's puzzling, but I've got three days to try and put it right now."
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