Power surges past Jenkins

Taylor: successful defence

Also see

• Order of Merit
• On Sky TV
• Darts Schedule/Results

Phil Taylor retained his Grand Slam of Darts title after a convincing 18-9 victory over Terry Jenkins in Sunday's best of 35-leg final at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall.

Having opened up an early lead the 13-time world champion was always in control and ensured Jenkins' sixth appearance in a televised final ended in a sixth defeat.

For Taylor, who picked up the winner's cheque of £100,000, it was an eighth major title of 2008, 'The Power' once again underlining his continued dominance of the sport.

Having won the first leg on his darts, Taylor immediately spelled out his intentions as he broke Jenkins to open a 2-0 lead, but 'The Bull' responded to take the next and, after his opponent had uncharacteristically missed eight darts at a double to establish a 4-1 lead, took the fifth leg to trail only 3-2 at the first interval.

The duo then shared the next two legs before Taylor went on a six-leg streak that left Jenkins with a deficit from which he never truly looked like recovering.

Jenkins had chances to stop Taylor, most notably in the tenth leg when he failed to take out 38 with three darts, but was unable to take them and was heavily punished as his rival surged 10-3 ahead.

The Ledbury thrower did finally stop the rot as he took out double 16 to make the scoreline 10-4 and promptly went on a run of his own.

A 118 check-out helped as he went on to take four legs on the trot to revive his hopes at 10-7, but crucially he missed two darts at a double to close the gap to just two legs and was left to rue his profligacy as Taylor hit double eight to re-establish a healthy four-leg lead at 11-7.

It was to prove something of a turning point as Taylor went on another six-leg run to take himself in sight of the finishing line at 16-7.

Jenkins showed commendable spirit as he checked out 100 to get himself back on the board at 16-8, but Taylor moved to within a leg of the title as he took out 56.

He was made to wait as Jenkins hit double-top to prolong the contest in a final act of defiance, but it merely served to prolong the inevitable as Taylor found the same double to secure the crown.