World Matchplay Darts 2025: James Wade Labels Himself ‘Lucky’ After Gruelling Semi-Final

Eighteen years after first lifting the World Matchplay title and a decade on from his last appearance in the final, James Wade is back on the sport’s grandest summer stage. 

At 42 years old and with more than two decades of experience behind him, the Machine has shown he’s still capable of grinding out results at the very highest level.

Record-Breaking Semi-Final Classic

Wade reached the final after coming through a marathon semi-final encounter against fellow PDC veteran Jonny Clayton, a match that will go down as one of the all-time greats in the tournament's history. 

The pair fought out an epic 38-leg clash that eventually ended 20-18 in Wade’s favour, setting a new record for the longest ever semi-final in World Matchplay history. 

Only the 2018 final between Gary Anderson and Mensur Suljovic, which finished 21-19, has lasted longer.

Wade looked in cruise control for much of the match, opening up a commanding five-leg cushion after the second interval. At 16-10 up and just one leg from victory in the race to 17, it seemed a formality. 

But ‘The Ferret’, launched one of the greatest comebacks seen in recent years, reeling off six straight legs to send the match into sudden death.

The next four legs were shared before Wade finally steadied himself, winning the last two to seal a gritty and gripping win.

“Exhausted” Wade Downplays Performance

Despite producing his third 100+ average of the tournament, Wade was typically self-critical in his post-match interview, describing himself as “very lucky” to have reached the final.

“I’m absolutely bamboozled after that. I’m f***ed,” Wade said.

“I’m exhausted, absolutely knackered. But to be fair, it’s my own fault. I should have closed it off earlier, but it is what it is.” 

“I'm just really, really happy to win. So lucky to win that game so, so lucky. But it might make up for some of the times where I've been so unlucky, but there you go.”

“Let’s be honest, Jonny should have won that game. But I should have won it way before.”

“The only time where he didn't hit something was when it really, really mattered. So, I guess I put him under enough pressure to do so.”

Protecting His Legacy

Wade made history back in 2007 when he became the youngest player ever to win the World Matchplay, lifting the iconic trophy at the age of just 24, a record that still stands to this day.

Now, 18 years on, Wade will face either 18-year-old prodigy Luke Littler or 24-year-old Josh Rock, the latter only six days older than Wade was when he etched his name onto the trophy.

Victory would not only give Wade his second Matchplay crown but also preserve his long-standing record as the youngest ever champion. Not that the man himself is particularly fussed.

“I don’t really care,” he bluntly answered.

Wade may be playing down his chances, but after surviving one of the greatest semi-finals the Matchplay has ever seen, the veteran now stands just one win away from rewriting the history books, again.