ADRIAN LEWIS hs targeted a place in the world's top four by the end of 2009.
Lewis returned to the limelight last week when he took on Raymond van Barneveld in a Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts Challenge Match in Sheffield.
The Stoke ace missed out on this year's Premier League after dropping from sixth place in the PDC Order of Merit.
However, he has reached two Players Championship finals this year and is looking to continue his rise up the rankings during the remainder of 2009 after making some changes to his game.
"What I'm looking for at the end of the year is to be in the top four," said Lewis. "That's my aim and I'll practice hard for that.
"There is the UK Open coming up and I'll knuckle down and try and win that, I think I can.
"I've slowed down on my game. If I miss the first treble 20, I'll slow down and move over.
"If you want to beat the guys who are in the Premier League, the world's best, you have to improve."
Lewis was a 7-5 loser against van Barneveld last week, although he averaged over 100 for much of the game and took out three impressive high finishes of 130, 100 and 96.
"As soon as I got on stage I felt like it was my chance to show what people had been missing and I really enjoyed it," said Lewis.
"Barney took out a few good finishes but I missed a couple of darts at double top at the wrong time."
He suffered defeat to Taylor - his former mentor & practice partner - in both Players Championship finals in Gladbeck in February, as well as a semi-final in Holland last month.
"I've played Phil a few times but I know what I'm doing wrong," said Lewis.
"I'm treating him with too much respect and now I'm going to go up there and concentrate better against him.
"He sees it as his job and I've got to see it as mine. I've got to be more serious when I'm on stage."
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