JAMES WADE admits he is working hard in an attempt to return to his best form.
The reigning Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts champion suffered a nightmare start to this year's campaign, losing his first three games before picking up a draw against Adrian Lewis in Exeter on Thursday.
He included some superb checkouts in the victory, hitting 148 in the game's opening leg and a 132 finish of bull, bull and double 16.
Although Lewis hit back from 7-4 to claim a point, Wade was happy with the win and is hoping that the PDC ProTour events in Germany this weekend will give him another opportunity to regain his form as he competes away from the Premier League for the fourth time in five weekends.
"I'm trying to play myself back to form," said Wade. "In the weekend I'm playing three or four great games and one tragic game, but I've been averaging 110-115 in some of my games.
"I don't know if we'll see that on stage soon, but one thing that is giving me a little bit of ammunition is people are writing me off and saying I can't play darts any more.
"That's a load of rubbish but it's just a matter of how long it takes me to start playing my best darts again.
"I know it's there because of how I've been playing in patches, and I still know deep down I'm one of the best players in the world if it is there.
"I know if I turn up I will beat anyone, and I've proven I can beat anyone, and I can do it regularly."
Wade has admitted that his start to the Premier League left him "feeling down in the dumps", but felt the Exeter crowd saw flashes of the world number three at his best.
"I believe that I gave myself enough opportunities to win the game," added Wade. "I was 3-0 up and 7-4 up but it wasn't the old James Wade, and 18 months ago I would have closed the game off.
"It's not the same game for me at the moment, but hopefully that was a glimmer of the James Wade that is there."