JACKPO
ADRIAN LEWIS From Protege To Powerhouse
By Jamie Shaw
Adrian Lewis returned from the depths of darting despair as he ended an overdue wait for a major title by claiming the European Championship crown at the beginning of July - a win which re-ignited the Stoke star’s fuse and sparked a landmark campaign at the proceeding World Matchplay.
After a fruitless 18 months, Jackpot - darts’ sleeping giant, awoke with a July battle cry which saw him re-affirm himself as one of the sport’s most prolific stars. If you were to choose a major title to open your account and rocket you into the limelight - it would surely be the World Championship, but with that prominence comes a hefty weight of expectation and demand, something which Lewis seemingly became trapped under in major tournaments outside of his beloved Ally Pally. Perhaps one of the most ludicrous claims made by a clutch of fans and pundits alike is that a 28-year-old, back-to-back two-time World Champion, has failed to fulfil his potential, but such is the immense promise he showed when bursting onto the scene as a raw un-nurtured talent almost a decade ago. Take Phil Taylor for example. His first world title came in 1990 at the age of 29, but the peak of his career remained over ten years away. Lewis already has double that tally and the structure in place to remain at the summit of the sport for years to come.
live-darts.co.uk
“I’m in good spirits, I know I’ve got a lot more to give in the game”
Adrian Lewis