Photo: Jenny Segers/PDC Europe
By Ryan Segal
Thomas Lovely believes his recent performances are reminiscent of Unicorn teammate James Wade, as he prepares for his first European Tour of 2026. 'Simply' is set to feature in the maiden European Tour of the season, having qualified for the Poland Darts Masters earlier this month.
He says he's excited to get back to the stage - and that experience has played a key role in his return:
"I always enjoy going and playing on the stage - It's another chance to show what I can do against the best in the world. I don't think I'm playing to my best - but I'm doing something I didn't do last year, which is get wins at the right point."
"I feel comfortable when I'm in the qualifiers - so why not be comfortable when it comes to the stage?"
He then compared his recent showings to The Machine - citing his impeccable timing.
"I've been very James Wade - That's how I've been recently. Doing the right things at the right time and hitting doubles."
He faces Wessel Nijman in the opening round, someone who's reached two Players Championship finals already this season, winning one. That doesn't faze 'Simply', however, as he prepares to try and topple him:
"I'll just go up there and give it my best shot.
You can't control what other people do - so I'm not fussed and how he is or how well he plays.
I'm only bothered about me. If I play to my potential, I know I've got the capabilities of winning.”
Thomas gets his campaign underway at approximately 18:00 GMT, with the match available to stream via PDCTV and broadcast partners.
You can get his signature darts via our website.