Darts star Adrian Lewis opens up on wife’s illness after taking break from the sport and reveals body transformation
ADRIAN LEWIS says he has taken an indefinite break from darts because he has lost the buzz of competing and his mind is not fully on the oche anymore.
And while there is no timescale on any potential return, Jackpot insists he is not finished completely with the sport – and would start again from the bottom once he rediscovers his mojo.
Adrian Lewis will miss the PDC World Championship this December for the first time since 2005 as he continues his break from dartsGetty
The Stoke star has been in hospital a lot visiting wife SarahTwitter
On April 22, two-time world champion Lewis announced on social media that he was laying down his arrows after 20-plus years and taking “a break from the professional circuit for now”.
His form dipped and world ranking began to plummet as he dealt with various family issues, notably caring for his ill wife Sarah.
And in his first interview this year, the Stoke thrower has revealed the reasons why he felt he had to take drastic action and remove himself from elite competitions.
Speaking to SunSport at a Target Darts launch, Lewis said: “After 20 years of playing darts, I think I just needed freshening up a bit.
“I think I was getting a bit stale. The buzz wasn’t there.
“My wife hasn’t been very well. So I’ve been in hospital with her a lot of time. We’re trying to balance everything at home.
“On the oche, it was just that I didn’t want to be there. My mind wasn’t there. My mind wasn’t on the darts.
“I didn’t think it was fair if I kept turning up when someone else could have had the spot.
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“Someone who could have given 100%. I wasn’t giving 100%. My mind was elsewhere.
“By taking the break, mentally I feel better. It has just taken a bit of pressure off really.
“I feel like I’m a bit more like myself again. A bit more bubbly. Instead of being down in the dumps.”
Since making his announcement on Twitter, Lewis reckons he has “lost three to four stone” in weight after walking about five miles daily round a golf course near his Cheshire home.
The fishing rod has been used more regularly while the dartboard at home has hardly seen any practice over the past five months.
But his mobile phone has lit up with constant messages from supportive pals and officials.
Lewis, ranked 40th on the 195-player PDC Order of Merit, will not be present at the World Darts Championship at Ally Pally this Christmas.
It will be the first Worlds he has missed since before his debut appearance at the highest level in December 2005.
Twitter @jackpot180Lewis has been spending more time fishing that practicing darts[/caption]
Should he eventually lose his Tour Card due to inactivity – and he does not want any special favours from darts chiefs given his mental health circumstances – then he is prepared to work his way up again via Qualifying School.
Lewis, a father-of-five, added: “Something could change and as soon as I get the hunger back, and I can give 100% again, that’s when I’ll make the decision to come back.
“If I lose my Tour Card. I’m willing to work hard enough to get it back anyway.
“I feel alright at the minute. I ain’t missing darts. That will probably come back. Then we’ll sort out where we want to go.
“Anything in life, anything in darts, you have to get it off your own back. It’s not given to you. You have to put in the work in the first place.
“And when I get back up there, I’ll put the work in. It’s as simple as that really.
“I’m not thinking about the Seniors Tour – put it that way.
“As soon as I start getting the hunger back, I’ll book myself onto a ProTour and we’ll go from there. I believe there’s another chapter to be written in my career.”
+Adrian Lewis is a Target Darts ambassador. For more details please visit www.target-darts.co.uk
