Phil Taylor admits he does not have the equipment to be successful on the world stage any more
The 16-time world champion avoided a Friday night scare as he began his Farewell Tour on a triumphant note
PHIL TAYLOR admits he does not have the equipment to be successful on the world stage any more.
The 16-time world champion avoided a Friday night scare as he began his Farewell Tour on a triumphant note.
The sport’s greatest player, who retires after the PDC World Darts Championship, was serenaded by the Ally Pally crowd throughout his 3-1 win over former motorway cone attendant Chris Dobey.
Taylor, 57, has never lost in the first round of the worlds but was extremely fortunate that the world No 38 missed TWO darts which would have dragged this match into a nervy fifth-set decider.
And Taylor revealed it is “killing” him that he cannot compete to the same level that once saw him dominant the world.
Taylor, who finished with a 96.33 average, said: “There was a lot of pressure on me. I lacked a bit of energy. I slacked a little bit and it’s not me. I’m tired. I never used to be like that before.
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“I could win a tournament and then play another tournament. I’ve got a few days off now to get ready for the next one. I want to win, I’ve still got the fire in the belly to win, it’s just the old utensils are not working as good.”
As he began his 29th and final world campaign, Taylor saluted the fans with kisses and clapping before the first darts were thrown.
He then took the first and second sets to give the impression he was cruising towards a whitewash.
But Dobey took the third set and then missed two chances on double 16 in the fourth set to gain some parity before Taylor regained control to see out victory.
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He plays next Saturday in the second round against the winner of the first-round clash involving Justin Pipe and preliminary players China’s Zong Xiaochen and New Zealander Bernie Smith.
The first shock of the tournament saw the body-popping Belgian Dimitri van den Bergh dance his way into the second round with a 3-1 win over 2014 Lakeside world champion Stephen Bunting.
The world youth champ does a dance routine during his walk-on. He joked: “I can dance, although I don’t have the improvisations to make a better routine. But the PDC seem to like what I do.”