Wade Wins Speedy Hire UK Open

JAMES WADE bagged the seventh major title of his career, defeating Wes Newton 11-8 in the Speedy Hire UK Open final at Bolton's Reebok Stadium on Sunday.

Left-hander Wade followed up his 2008 success in Bolton with a second UK Open title, scooping £40,000 with wins over Paul Nicholson, Mark Webster and Newton in a gruelling final day of darts.

The Aldershot ace picked up his first major since revealing his battle with bipolar affective disorder and ADHD in a tight final against Newton as the lead changed hands three times.

Newton took three legs in a row to come from 4-3 down to lead 6-4, but Wade won four of the next five in taking command before going on to seal victory with double top.

"It's amazing for me," said Wade. "I've had so many problems but I've got through it and I'm happier than I've ever been.

"My sponsors stuck by me and my manager stuck by me and this is dedicated to them. My life's easier now and the World Championship is a possibility for me now after this.

"The UK Open's such a hard tournament to win and I started in the first round on Thursday, which seems ages ago, so it's a proud moment."

Wade, who won the final three legs of his dramatic semi-final against Mark Webster to win 10-9, started in good fashion winning the opening leg with a two-dart 78 finish and then doubled his lead with a 13-darter.

The world number four had a chance to win the third leg, but his attempt at double top was unsuccessful and Newton stepped in to land double ten and get off the mark.

Newton hit a 180 in the process of taking the fourth leg in just 14 darts, but Wade regained the lead by winning the next on double five.

Wade missed two opportunities to break throw in the sixth as two darts at double top were off-target, and Newton completed a 65 finish by hitting double four with his third dart.

Wade hit double ten in the seventh leg to lead again, but wasted four darts at doubles to lead 5-3 and Newton capitalised by hitting double eight to level.

Another miss at double top proved costly for Wade in the ninth leg as Newton hit a clinical 120 checkout to break throw and lead the match for the first time.

The same fate hit Wade again in the next leg as he missed one dart at tops for a 104 finish, and Newton stepped in to hit the same bed and establish a two leg advantage.

The Fleetwood ace missed the chance to claim his fourth successive leg, and Wade took out 74 before hitting a 13-dart finish to square the game at six apiece.

Wade won his third straight leg with the aid of his third maximum of the game to lead 7-6, before Newton held his nerve in the 14th leg to hit an 80 finish with his opponent waiting on double top to leave matters finely balanced.

Newton fired in his fourth 180 of the game in the next leg, but it wasn't enough to see him reach a double first as Wade hit tops at the first time of asking to lead 8-7.

Wade then stepped up a gear in the next two legs as he put together consecutive 14-dart finishes to move 10-7 ahead and go one leg away from the title.

He had one chance to end the contest in the next, but missed tops for a 101 finish as Newton posted double 16 to stay alive.

Wade, though, hit back with his fifth maximum of the match to forge ahead in the next, and took out double top for a 13-darter to seal the triumph.

"Wes did really well to reach the final and both of us found it hard, but I really gave it to him in the final five or six legs," said Wade. "

"Each game becomes harder and harder, but it's the same for every player. I've drunk four litres of water throughout the day and we were both tired.

"I'm back up to third in the world and I'm delighted. This time I'll go away and really enjoy the win because it's been a hard time for me, but I'm happier than ever."

Newton's run to the final consolidated his place in eighth in the PDC Order of Merit, just two years after he had slumped to 36th in the world.

"I'm happy but at the same time I'm gutted," said Newton. "When you get to the final you want to win it, but James was the better player and I congratulate him for that.

"It was a battle of a game without us both producing our top form. It was new territory for me and I'll take a lot of positives from it - it's a great confidence boost for me.

"We went to the break when I was 6-4 up and that break seemed to kill me because he came back and won the next three legs, and I went from being in control to behind, and James didn't look back."

Newton is due to become a father for the first time in a fortnight, and added: "Everything's going well for me at the moment.

"I'm disappointed with the final because I know I can play better, but I've been in my first major final and I'll hopefully be back for more."

Newton had won his place in the final with a comeback victory over Denis Ovens in the semis, as he overturned a 5-2 deficit by winning eight of the next nine legs, hitting a 170 finish in the process.

Wade had also shown his battling qualities in the tightest of semi-finals with fellow left-hander Mark Webster, who led 3-1 and 7-3 before Wade hit back to within a leg at 8-7.

Webster took the 16th to move a leg away from victory, but missed the bull for the match as Wade took out pressure finishes of 120 and 61 to force a decider, which he brilliantly won in 11 darts.

Click here for Final Photo Gallery

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Speedy Hire UK Open
Final
James Wade 11-8 Wes Newton

Click here for Final Photo Gallery

Match Stats