‘All that’s missing is the hunger’ says two-time world champion Adrian Lewis after extending PDC darts hiatus for a YEAR
ADRIAN LEWIS is out for the year — but he has not given up hope of winning a third darts world crown.
Jackpot surrendered his PDC Tour Card at the end of last season after tumbling out of the world’s top 64 through inactivity.
The two-time world champ plans to stay away from competitive action for personal reasons — and will only play in lucrative exhibitions and the Modus Super Series over the next 12 months.
Yet he WILL return one day — maybe via Qualifying School in 2026 — and when he does, he fancies a crack at a hat-trick of Sid Waddell trophies.
Lewis, 39, told SunSport: “I’ve not gone to Q School this January. I’m writing that off. I’m hoping the following year.
“I want to enjoy the game again. I can’t go in half-hearted, I need to go in there 100 per cent.
“Full heart and soul into it. That would be the way back.
“Will that mean I’ll get the motivation back? I am hoping so.
“When you’ve been doing something for 20 years, it takes its toll on you. I need a break from it.
“There’s no reason why I cannot go and get my Tour card back.
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“I have had loads of well-wishes. Everywhere I go, people say, ‘When are you coming back?’.
“I say, ‘Not yet. When I’m ready, I’ll be back’.
“What have I not missed? Probably the travelling. You’re on the road all of the time.
“And the preparation. People don’t realise how much prep you have to do.
“What have I missed? The banter.
“I haven’t missed the arguments I had on stage. But I’ve missed the lads.”
Lewis’ time away, in which he has looked after a sick family member, has coincided with the astonishing rise of Luke Littler.
While he is 22 years older, the Stoke thrower shares a birthday on January 21 with Littler — who became the sport’s youngest world champion this month.
Yet the world No 141 is confident he can challenge Littler, 17, and the other top stars when he is back.
Lewis added: “Definitely. If I am going back, it will be 100 per cent focused on the third world title.
“I’ve the experience and the age. All that’s missing is the hunger. Once that is back there is no reason why I cannot go on.”
List of all-time Darts World Champions
BELOW is a list of darts world champions by year.
The list does not include winners from the pre-Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) era or BDO world champions.
That means Raymond van Barneveld, for example, is only listed once – Barney also won four BDO titles – and none of Eric Bristow’s five BDO titles are included.
- 1994 – Dennis Priestley
- 1995 – Phil Taylor
- 1996 – Phil Taylor (2)
- 1997 – Phil Taylor (3)
- 1998 – Phil Taylor (4)
- 1999 – Phil Taylor (5)
- 2000 – Phil Taylor (6)
- 2001 – Phil Taylor (7)
- 2002 – Phil Taylor (8)
- 2003 – John Part
- 2004 – Phil Taylor (9)
- 2005 – Phil Taylor (10)
- 2006 – Phil Taylor (11)
- 2007 – Raymond van Barneveld
- 2008 – John Part (2)
- 2009 – Phil Taylor (12)
- 2010 – Phil Taylor (13)
- 2011 – Adrian Lewis
- 2012 – Adrian Lewis (2)
- 2013 – Phil Taylor (14)
- 2014 – Michael van Gerwen
- 2015 – Gary Anderson
- 2016 – Gary Anderson (2)
- 2017 – Michael van Gerwen (2)
- 2018 – Rob Cross
- 2019 – Michael van Gerwen (3)
- 2020 – Peter Wright
- 2021 – Gerwyn Price
- 2022 – Peter Wright (2)
- 2023 – Michael Smith
- 2024 – Luke Humphries
- 2025 – Luke Littler
Most World Titles
- 14 – Phil Taylor
- 3 – Michael van Gerwen
- 2 – John Part, Adrian Lewis, Gary Anderson, Peter Wright
- 1 – Dennis Priestley, Raymond van Barneveld, Rob Cross, Gerwyn Price, Michael Smith, Luke Humphries, Luke Littler