ADRIAN LEWIS is hoping to make an early impact in the 2009 Championship League Darts.
Lewis failed to win a group in last year's Championship League Darts, despite finishing top in three groups and picking up £15,250 - the fourth most of any player in the event.
He lost in three finals and three semi-finals in six groups last year, as well as hitting a nine-dart finish, and is determined to make an impression in Group One of this year's Championship League - which begins on Tuesday.
PDCtv Subscribers - see Adrian Lewis' Nine-Darter
"I think there were only a couple of times when I didn't win the league last year, and I hit a nine-darter and finished fourth overall in the money list but never won a group final," said Lewis.
"It's a long day and it was into the evening when we played the semi-finals and final, and maybe I have to pace myself a bit better.
"After last year's experience I think I can do that, and this year my aim is to qualify straight away instead of messing about.
"It's more important this year to go up there and qualify, and that's my aim in the first couple of days."
The format of Championship League Darts is unique, with games being played behind closed doors and streamed only via the internet on a series of bookmakers' websites.
With eight players in each day's group battling in a league format for £50 per leg, Lewis admits it is a different challenge to being on stage in front of thousands of fans.
"I really enjoyed it," Lewis said. "It's different, a good tournament.
"It's very quiet because you're playing on back-to-back boards and with no crowd - all you can hear is the referees.
"But it's a lot like when I practice at home in the back room of my local pub, and maybe that's why it suits me."
Group One on Tuesday will feature eight of the world's top ten players, including reigning champion Phil Taylor, with two to be eliminated on the first day.
However, Lewis ended nearly three years without a tournament victory with triumph in Austria last weekend and heads into Championship League Darts in top form.
He also hit a nine-darter in the final against Carlos Rodriguez, potentially marking the dawn of a new era since he became a father for the first time last month.
"I'm a family man now, and I think it has settled me down a bit," added Lewis. "I think this will be the making of me and I can push on and win a lot more things now.
"Even though I didn't go overseas in August and then missed Atlanta I've been practising hard at home and it's gone really well.
"I hit a nine-darter and won the tournament in Austria and I'm hoping to do both of those things a few more times this year!
"It was knocking on three years since I'd last won a tournament and I was really nervous in the final against Carlos.
"I'd reached a few finals in that time, but it felt that every time I did reach a final I'd come up against Phil Taylor in his top form.
"If I can take last weekend on and beat him a couple of times this year it might make him start thinking again, because I have beaten him before."
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