James Wade claimed his first European Tour title since 2016 with an 8-4 victory over fellow Englishman Ross Smith in the final of the Flanders Darts Trophy in Antwerp.
With Luke Littler and Luke Humphries – the current world top two – not involved, Gian van Veen was the top seed, but Smith beat him 7-6 in the semi-finals. Wade, 43, thrashed Danny Noppert 6-0 in the quarter-finals and defeated Damon Heta 7-4 to reach the final.
Victory in the final ended a decade-long wait for a continental title, stretching back to the 2016 European Darts Matchplay in Hamburg. "Some weeks it's good, sometimes it's bad. That's how it is for me," he said after winning the £35,000 prize money. "If it was good all the time, I'd smash them all to bits. We can't always select how we feel."
The four-time World Championship semi-finalist produced a 95.50 average and five 180s in the final. He established an early advantage after Smith missed 64 on his throw to go 3-2 up, before extending his lead to 6-3. The win was sealed with a checkout of 16.
