Taylor faces test of mental power

13 April 2012

Phil Taylor faces the sternest character test of his outstandingly successful career over the next seven days when he defends his Stan James World Matchplay title in Blackpool.  

The nine-times world champion appears in a major British tournament for the first time since he was fined £2,000 in April after being convicted of indecently assaulting two women following a darts exhibition in Scotland.

Taylor's court appearance made national front-page headlines and he even admitted that the ordeal, and the effect it had on his family, had prompted him to consider suicide.

But one thing the Stoke-on-Trent professional insisted would not be damaged was his competitive nature at the oche, and he proved as good as his word by going on to record two tournament victories in Canada.

Back in front of a British audience, however, Taylor knows his problems are still relatively fresh in the mind and will be aware that certain voices in the crowd may choose to remind him of them while he is on the Winter Gardens stage.

The spectators will be at their most raucous when the third seed makes a familiar start to his campaign against the opponent he ousted in the first round last year, Jamie 'Braveheart' Harvey.

Taylor, who beat the Scot 10-2 in 2000, figures in the last match to be played on Monday at about 10pm and the same will apply to his second-round game against Paul Lim or Alex Roy on Wednesday if, as expected, he gets through.

The 2,000 fans packed into the Empress Ballroom are sure to be in full cry by that tme and although 'The Power' has always displayed a steely nerve, this presents a different sort of challenge.

"I beat Jamie comprehensively last year but I'd never underestimate him," said Taylor.

"He has a lot of supporters in the crowd to encourage him so he'll come out with all guns blazing.

"But I've been playing well recently and I'm confident that my name will be on the trophy again this year."

With next week set to be one of the year's hottest and the venue renowned for its cauldron-like atmosphere, conditions will not be ideal for Taylor, who has struggled before when the temperature on stage has hit three figures.

However, such is Taylor's dominance within the game that he is still a long odds-on favourite to add another title to his amazing roll of honour.

The competition gets under way on Sunday evening with Peter 'One Dart' Manley, whose top seeding is a vagary of the rankings, taking on Steve 'The Bronzed Adonis' Beaton.

Three former world champions feature in the other two matches on Sunday with Bob Anderson meeting Richie Burnett, and Dennis 'The Menace' Priestley meeting Kevin Painter.

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