Adrian Lewis says he feels ‘ready’ to return to darts after stepping away from the PDC circuit in 2023.
Lewis has lofty ambitions of winning a third World Championship after winning back-to-back Sid Waddell trophies in 2011 and 2012.
“After 20 years, I think I just needed a break and I’m ready to enjoy it again. I don’t care about the money, it’s all about the trophies for me,” Jackpot said on the Double Tops podcast.
“On the exhibition circuit I’m still very competitive and I beat plenty of the Premier League players regularly, so the ability is still there I’d like to think.”
“If I was playing well enough, I don’t think I could say no to the Premier League again,” he added. “But the real reason I’m coming back is to become a three-time world champion.”
Almost three years since he walked away from the professional game, NineDartNews has chosen three of his most iconic moments.
Nine-dart finish at the World Championship
During the 2015 World Championship, Lewis was still at the peak of his powers.
Jackpot was one of the favourites heading into the tournament, and although he lost 4-3 against Raymond van Barneveld, that classic will be remembered for Lewis’s nine-dart finish.
In the final leg of the first set, the darting phenom went 180-180-141 to lift the roof off Alexandra Palace and join an exclusive list of players who have achieved perfection at the World Championship.
A year after his defeat to Van Barneveld, Lewis reached his third world final, but was denied a hat-trick by Gary Anderson in a 7-5 loss and has since failed to get past the third round.
World Matchplay semi-final vs Michael van Gerwen
There have been some incredible battles in the modern era of darts, but few have been better than Lewis’s semi-final showdown against Michael van Gerwen in 2013.
Six months after losing to Van Gerwen in the World Championship quarter-final, Jackpot sought revenge against the Dutchman, with both players producing an all-time classic.
A back-and-forth contest eventually saw Lewis clinch a 17-15 victory over the Dutchman with a 102.28 average, booking his place in the final against Phil Taylor.
Of course, the Power proved unstoppable with an 111.23 average in the final to win 18-13.
No-look 180 vs Peter Manley
Lewis has been involved in many dart matches over the years, but one of his greatest came against Peter Manley at the 2006 World Championship.
In a clash that saw Lewis walk out of the arena after claiming Manley was whispering things behind his back, the Englishman also produced one of the most iconic moments.
🙈🎯 Hoping for another no-look 180 from Adrian Lewis #LoveTheDarts pic.twitter.com/0eqOZKpasN
— Ladbrokes (@Ladbrokes) December 19, 2017
Unfazed by his opponent hitting a 180 when 2-1 down in sets, Jackpot responded by hitting a no-look maximum.
A fresh-faced Lewis threw his first two darts into the treble 20 bed, and then turned to the crowd after throwing the third and stood there as they cheered a moment of sheer cheek and brilliance.
It was the sort of X-Factor the 41-year-old produced throughout his 15 years in the PDC, and hopefully, he can deliver more incredible memories on his return.
