JOE CULLEN is craving further success on the back of his impressive run to the quarter-finals of the BetVictor World Matchplay last month.
The Yorkshireman recorded victories over Premier League stars Gerwyn Price and Daryl Gurney as he won through to only his second televised quarter-finals in Blackpool.
He went on to lose out to eventual champion Gary Anderson 19-17 as the Scotsman hit a nine-darter in a thrller.
Cullen came agonisingly close to victory in the classic encounter at the Winter Gardens, missing two match darts, but his run to the last eight was enough to lift him into the world's top 16 for the first time.
I'm hungry to go much further
"Looking back now I can take the positives from the World Matchplay," said Cullen, who had previously never won on the Winter Gardens stage.
"Of course, it was very disappoiting at the time but now I can take the positives from the game.
"I've been discussing with my management team that I'm happy to break into the top 16 for the first time but I'm hungry to go much further than that - I'm not satisfied with just that.
"To be honest, it's about time I did well in a TV event.
"I was disappointed that Blackpool was only my second TV quarter-final, I feel I should've made a lot more but now I've got the chance to kick on now and do even better."
The world number 16 has shown consistency on the European Tour so far in 2018, reaching an impressive five quarter-finals and one semi-final.
Cullen's success had seen him secure qualification for the World Grand Prix and European Championship - but the Bradford thrower isn't happy just to qualify for TV events.
"I've been doing well on TV and poor on the floor tournaments this year which is the opposite to last year," added Cullen, who returns to action at the German Darts Championship next weekend.
"I've been spending time with my family and management team and now I'm looking forward to getting back into it.
"I'm not really happy with how I've played so far in 2018, I've been struggling to get up for the floor tournaments which should be my bread and butter.
"Ahead of Hildesheim I'm going to step up my practice this week and I'm looking forward to getting back out there.
"But I don't want to be unrealistic with my targets - I just take each event as it comes and try to do as well as I can in each game of each event."
Watch Joe's return to action at the German Darts Championship in Hildesheim from August 30-September 2 which will be broadcast throughout the weekend for PDCTV-HD Subscribers, and through a series of bookmakers' websites worldwide.
For tickets, visit www.pdc-europe.tv.
The Unibet World Grand Prix will be held from September 30-October 6 at the Citywest Hotel in Dublin. For ticket information CLICK HERE.