Stars set for Slam start

Taylor: Grand Slam champion

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The top stars from both the PDC and BDO come together on Saturday night as the third edition of the Grand Slam of Darts gets underway in Wolverhampton.

Phil Taylor is once again the man to beat as he will be targeting a third successive title in the event, with 'The Power' the only player to have claimed the title so far.

Two women will compete in the event this year, with Russian Anastasia Dobromyslova this time joined by current women's world champion Francis Hoenselaar.

Former world champion Dobromyslova will take on Taylor after being drawn in the defending champion's group, along with former BDO world champion Mark Webster and Holland's Vincent van der Voort.

Dobromyslova took Wayne Mardle to a deciding leg last year, and has claimed a number of notable male scalps since joining the PDC circuit last Christmas.

Pleased

"I haven't done as well as I wanted to, but I've done better than most people expected me to," said the 25-year-old. "I'm quite pleased and I think I'm a better player than last year."

And she admits that facing Taylor, a close friend, will hold no fear in their opening group game.

"I was looking forward to it anyway but especially so since the draw was made and I saw my group," she added. "Phil has looked after me and we've had a few exhibitions together and practiced together too.

"I think it's best that I'm playing him first, because with him being such a good player it will give me a lot of experience straight away and I'll be ready for the other matches too."

Taylor has been imperious in the previous two Grand Slams, and has also claimed every major ranking PDC title for the past year.

Fantastic

"It's a fantastic tournament and I'd love to make it three titles," said Taylor. "Everyone in the tournament is a champion in their own right or has been successful so it's a great field of players.

"The group stage is tough because the games are so short, and playing Anastasia first will be hard. She's done well and is improving all the time, but I'm looking forward to it."

Five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld, the PDC world number two, takes on the other female in the field Hoenselaar on Saturday evening.

He was drawn in a tough Group D, which also features Canada's three-time World Champion John Part and Kevin Painter, the 2004 PDC World Championship finalist.

Number eight seed Tony O'Shea meets Brian Woods in Group B, which also features Grand Slam debutant Colin Osborne and former World Matchplay winner Colin Lloyd.

BDO Champ

BDO World Champion Ted Hankey, the number two seed, has been drawn in a tough Group E, alongside Australian Simon Whitlock, Wayne 'Hawaii 501' Mardle and Yorkshire's Scott Waites.

The Telford-based star, nicknamed The Count, defeated Tony O'Shea to win his second World Championship in January, and is making his Grand Slam debut against Waites on Sunday afternoon in their opening game.

"I've watched the Grand Slam in previous years and it's been entertaining," he said. "I'm happy with my group but would have been happy with any other group.

"I just want to be there and show people how good I am.

"I don't like the short games though. I've got to dig in straight away and hopefully get through the group to the longer games, which suit me better."

The top two players from each group will progress to the knockout second round, with a potential "Nine-Dart Shoot-Out" awaiting players tied on both points and leg difference in a group.

The knockout phase will be played in a bracket format, giving a potential final of the two current World Champions, Taylor and Hankey, on Sunday November 22.