Wade desperate to prove point against King

JAMES Wade will be seeking to avenge his heaviest Whyte & Mackay Premier League defeat when the tournament visits Glasgow tonight.

He suffered an 8-1 loss to Mervyn King in February, which left him bottom of the early-season Premier League table.

He has since won five matches before drawing with John Part in Birmingham a week ago, leaving him joint top of the table going into his rematch with King.

"He deserved to beat me 8-1 last time we played, but I want to show everyone that I^m better than that," said Wade. "Last week was a perfect game for me to show how I can play, but I didn^t deserve to win. There was enough pressure there and the right situation and I was lucky to get away with a point.

"John was the better player and I have to be better against Mervyn."

The tournament returns for a third successive year to Glasgow^s SECC, with Phil Taylor seeking to remain at the top of the table when he meets Jelle Klaasen in front of a sell-out 5,500 crowd.

Bradwell thrower Taylor sits above Wade on leg difference following an 8-2 victory over Raymond van Barneveld last week, while Klaasen heads to Scotland after picking up his first win of the season, against Terry Jenkins.

Klaasen said: "It^s going to be a tough game, but if I hit my doubles and score well in the first half of the game I have a chance.

"I played badly against Phil last time, but I just want to play my game. If I get chances and hit them it^s going to be difficult for Phil, but I know he^s going to play well."

The night^s opening game sees former world champions Raymond van Barneveld and John Part meet in a game which could be crucial to their play-off hopes. The pair sit joint fourth on eight points, having drawn in Edinburgh on their last meeting.

Wayne Mardle and Terry Jenkins also meet in a must-win encounter for both, as they seek to bounce back from defeats last week and keep their play-off hopes alive.

TONIGHT^S ORDER OF PLAY

Raymond van Barneveld v John Part, Terry Jenkins v Wayne Mardle, Jelle Klaasen v Phil Taylor, Mervyn King v James Wade.

TV: Live on Sky Sports 1, 7pm

Story by: The Sentinel