Dubai: Record 16-time world darts champion Phil Taylor has vowed to get beyond the opening round of the Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters this weekend after failing in his first two attempts.
Taylor, 54, lost 10-8 to Andy Hamilton in 2013 and 10-5 to Peter Wright last year, but will now hope to make it third time lucky this year in another first round showdown with Wright.
“I was rubbish, I’ve got to do better this year,” said Taylor. “I’ve got to get past that first round.
“I’m playing well enough, it’s just other people are playing better at the moment. I’m playing as well now than I ever have in my career to be honest.”
Of his first round match-up with Wright, he said: “It doesn’t make any difference who you play, they are all decent players, you’ve just got to get on with it. But that’s what we’ve created, we’ve created this monster in the game, so it’s no good me moaning.
“I was the one that told them [younger players] what to do. I used to say ‘do your practicing, dedicate yourself’ and they have and that’s why they are getting better.”
Asked if he was under pressure to prove his career wasn’t on the wane, after not winning a world championship since 2013 or a Premier League title since 2012, he added: “No, not really. I’m on a win-win, because if I don’t perform as well as I did in the past, people will remember me for how good I am, and if I start winning people will say I’ve reinvented myself.
“So, I’m on a little bit of a win-win. I’m dedicated, I’m doing everything right, I’ve done all I should do and haven’t put a foot wrong, so everything’s right.”
And of the conditions in Dubai, which is the only outdoor venue of the season, Taylor said: “It’s windy, so that’s going to have a big telling tale on every player I think. But that’s going to be the same for everybody so we just have to get on with it.”
The third edition of the Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters, round one of the Professional Darts Corporation’s five-stage World Series of Darts, will be held at Dubai Tennis Stadium on Thursday and Friday.
Doors open at 5pm and matches start at 8pm, with tickets available on the door priced at Dh180 per night or Dh299 for both nights.
Double Dubai champion Michael Van Gerwen is the favourite ahead of the event, challenged by the rise of new world champion and Premier League Darts winner Gary Anderson.
