World Matchplay Preview

Taylor looking for 11th title in Winter Gardens as Match Play begins

Last updated: 17th July 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

World Matchplay Preview

Taylor: Match Play champion

It's a great tournament and a venue I love to play at, and I can't wait to get on stage on Tuesday. I'm determined to win this title again and will be focused on doing that.

Phil Taylor
Quotes of the week

LIVE ON SKY SPORTS
World Matchplay Darts
Starts Saturday July 17
7pm, Sky Sports HD1 & 1

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The StanJames.com World Matchplay kicks off in Blackpool on Saturday with once again Phil Taylor a huge favourite to start a second decade of dominance at the Winter Gardens.

'The Power' has ten Matchplay titles to his name, and has only been beaten twice in Blackpool since the turn of the decade, and in 2010 he hopes to embark on another lengthy winning streak.

The Stoke thrower is on for a hat-trick of titles in the event, and with only John Part in 2005 and Terry Jenkins in 2007 beating him in ten years then few will be betting against him.

The man himself loves the tournament, and it has special memories as the venue for his first televised live nine-darter in 2002 - and his form this season could hardly be better.

Taylor, who starts his campaign against Barrie Bates on Tuesday, hit an historic two nine-darters in the Premier League final and followed up with a world record televised average of 118.6 at the UK Open last month.

Weird

"It will be a little bit wierd watching everyone else in action for three days before I play but I'll enjoy watching everyone else," said Taylor about his late start to the tournament.

"It gives me a couple of extra days to prepare, although my game's been in good shape in the last couple of months and the World Matchplay seems to bring the best out of me too.

"It's a great tournament and a venue I love to play at, and I can't wait to get on stage on Tuesday.

"I'll have a hard game against Barrie. He's a real battler of a player and it's great to see him back in form after his injuries, but I'm determined to win this title again and will be focused on doing that."

World number three James Wade also loves the £400,000 Blackpool event, having won the title in 2007 as part of his run of three successive finals, and he starts on Sunday against Andy Smith.

Focus

"It's my favourite tournament, I've had plenty of success in it and it's a venue I love, but this is a new year," said Wade.

"I've got to look ahead now and focus on facing Andy on Sunday. He's a really good player who's in form after winning an event recently, and it should be a very good game."

The tournament will open when veteran Dennis Priestley, who turned 60 on Friday, faces Vincent van der Voort, while Colin Osborne faces Wayne Jones and Blackpool's Ronnie Baxter takes on Jamie Caven.

Sunday's play also features Andy Hamilton against Co Stompe, the PDC ProTour's most recent Players Championship winner, while Adrian Lewis faces Mark Webster, the former Lakeside Champion who is making his World Matchplay debut.

Essex-born pair Colin Lloyd - the 2005 World Matchplay champion - and Kevin Painter kick off Tuesday's final night of first round action, with Mark Walsh meeting 2004 runner-up Mark Dudbridge, debutant Paul Nicholson facing Steve Beaton and reigning champion Taylor facing Wales' Barrie Bates.

The StanJames.com World Matchplay will be screened in its entirety live on Sky Sports, with High Definition coverage throughout the event accompanied by coverage in 3D for the semi-finals and final - the first time darts has been covered in 3D.

Fans can log on to www.sky.com/3dpubs to find their nearest location to watch the StanJames.com World Matchplay in 3D.