James Wade became the first seeded player to crash out of this year’s World Darts Championship after suffering a crushing 3-0 defeat to Jermaine Wattimena in the second round at Alexandra Palace.
The 16th seed and four-time semi-finalist was eliminated in his opening match for the third consecutive year, marking a disappointing early exit for the former world number two.
The Englishman’s departure came in a one-sided contest that saw him win just two legs throughout the entire match.
After winning the opening leg with a 13-darter, Wade’s fortunes quickly turned as Wattimena seized control of the match.
The Dutchman dominated proceedings by winning eight consecutive legs, moving two sets ahead and establishing a commanding break advantage.
Wattimena’s impressive performance saw him maintain an average of 99.17 throughout the match, compared to Wade’s 97.01.
Jermaine Wallimena was in top form against James Wade
PA
Wade’s early exit continues his recent struggles at Alexandra Palace, having been eliminated in his opening fixture for the third straight year.
The defeat comes after Wade had recently promised to ‘win a major in the next 12 months’ in a promotional video for the PDC.
Wade had previously acknowledged his challenges at the World Championship, saying: “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.”
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James Wade has struggled at the World Championship before
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Wattimena, who reached the final of the European Championship in October, will now face either two-time world champion Peter Wright or Wesley Plaisier after Christmas.
The Dutchman’s victory was particularly impressive as he had already competed earlier in the tournament, having defeated Swiss debutant Stefan Bellmont 3-0 on Sunday night.
His commanding performance against Wade suggests he could pose a significant challenge to either of his potential third-round opponents.
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