JAMES WADE paid tribute to Phil Taylor after being defeated in the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts final on Monday night.
Wade lost to Taylor in the Premier League's decider for the second time in two years with his narrow 10-8 loss at the Wembley Arena.
The defending champion played superbly to battle back from 6-3 down to level at seven-all against Taylor, who hit a second nine-darter of the match and then landed a ten-dart finish in taking victory and the £125,000 title.
While world number three Wade was happy to have reached the final for the third time in as many Premier League Darts campaigns, he paid tribute to the 15-time World Champion.
"I've played better than I did in the final but Phil was superb," said Wade. "He played better than me and that's why he won - he is winner and I wasn't good enough.
"I'm not good enough at the moment but I've been through a bad period and managed to come back to what I am, and I've still got another gear to go.
"I was weak in patches but strong in patches but I don't think even the second-best player in the world at the moment, Simon Whitlock, could have stayed with Phil on Monday.
"The score was 10-8 so the two nine-darters were important. I don't think that will ever be seen again in such a short format, it will be seen again in a longer format but this was first to ten.
"To hit two nine-darters in a first to ten match is amazing."
Wade lost his first three games in the Premier League and didn't taste victory until week six, but bounced back strongly to finish third before defeating Simon Whitlock in the semi-finals.
"I was disappointed not to guarantee myself being in the final with a better season," saod Wade.
"I think I'm good enough to qualify for the last four every year but I didn't play good darts for a while and everyone else played steady darts.
"I was lucky to be in the last four but to be runner-up is pretty cool, but I'm just good enough at the moment.
"I'm not beaten like some other players by Phil, that's for sure. I'll go back and rectify things and take the challenge to him."
Wade has now set his sights on the UK Open, which begins in Bolton next Thursday.
The left-hander won the title in 2008 at the Reebok Stadium but was a third round casualty against Peter Manley last summer.
"I've had some good years there and a few not so good years as well," he said. "Bolton's a place where anybody can cause a surprise and hopefully I can do that this year."
Tickets for the UK Open cost from £20 and are available by calling 0844 871 2932 or by visiting the Reebok Stadium Box Office.