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Adrian Lewis has this week made his long-awaited return to darts after a 29-month absence from the sport.
The Stoke-born star, now 40, quit the PDC back in 2023 after beginning to feel like his 'mind wasn't there'.
He told The Sun at the time of his quitting: 'I think I was getting a bit stale. The buzz wasn't there, it was just that I didn't want to be there. My mind wasn't there, my mind wasn't on the darts.'
Lewis' wife Sarah had been unwell at the time, with the darts player adding: 'My wife hasn't been very well. We're trying to balance everything at home.'
But the two-time world champion is now back after signing a multi-year management deal with MODUS, the company who organise the MODUS Sports Series events, in April of this year.
Having agreed to appear regularly at their events, he made his official return to the oche on Thursday at the MODUS Live Lounge in Portsmouth.
Adrian Lewis made his long-awaited return to darts on Thursday two years after quitting the sport
At the time of his quitting in April 2023, Lewis said he was 'getting a bit stale'
And his comeback ended in victory, with Lewis and partner Steve Beaton overcoming Andreas Harryson and Anton Ostlund of Sweden.
After pulling off a 65 checkout to win leg one, Lewis went on to throw an impressive 180 in the third leg, his first in over two years.
He later took out D20 to give his pair a 3-2 lead before his partner came through to secure the final leg and the overall victory for the duo.
Whether Lewis will be able to return to the PDC remains to be seen after Barry Hearn revealed that the legendary darts-thrower would not be handed a wildcard to compete in one-off events.
Therefore, despite being one of the most popular players in the sport, Lewis will need to go through the PDC's Qualifying School in order to regain his tour card.
He told The Sun earlier this year that he was eyeing a return to the prestigious competition in 2026: 'I've not gone to Q School this January. I'm writing that off. I'm hoping the following year.
'I want to enjoy the game again. I can't go in half-hearted, I need to go in there 100 per cent.
'Full heart and soul into it. That would be the way back. Will that mean I'll get the motivation back? I am hoping so.'
