World Darts Championship: Phil Taylor says missed doubles cost him 17th world title

Phil Taylor admitted missed doubles cost him a 17th world title in an epic final with Gary Anderson.

Anderson led 3-1, then 6-4 but Taylor clawed his way back to level it up with some nerveless darts, only to lose the deciding set, and the match 7-6.

'The Power’ said 55 missed shots at doubles – including one at double 12 which would have seen him nail a nine-darter - were the key to his ultimate defeat, but he was generous in his praise of the new champion too, insisting the Scot deserved his maiden title. 

“There was a few doubles missed today and I could have been a couple of sets up,” he said.

“I should never have missed 55 doubles and that’s cost me my 17th world title. I say it cost me – I don’t whether Gary would have reacted to it – but when I had 177 I missed that double 12 and that killed me.

“I thought I was going to win it and get the nine-darter but it didn’t happen.

“My energy levels picked up in the last set and everything was going great and I thought ‘I’m going to get you now, Gazza’ I really did, but it didn’t happen.

“Gary is doing everything right at the minute. Is he the best player at the minute? Yeah I think so, he’s proved his worth. I don’t mind being second some times.

“I didn’t feel nervous - I felt really excited about it to be quite honest. It’s annoying of course it is, but it’s not the end of the world. I’ve not been knocked out or anything; I’m not like George Groves. But you learn from it, you move on and you think about what you’ve done wrong.

“For an old fellow I was buzzing. I was skipping up and down the oche and thinking, ‘I‘m going to get you Gary.’"

Taylor insists that title No 17 remains his goal, and he still believes he can get better.

“I’m going to improve next year and that’s a promise. I’m going to improve and put things right.

“If you’ve been beaten, you’ve been beaten. Don’t start crying about it - just get ready for your next one and make sure you’re ready.

“The thing about Gary is that he just doesn’t miss his doubles. If I hadn’t missed my doubles I’d have won. It’s my own fault, nobody else’s fault. Gary was the better player tonight, he hit finishes and that was it. That was the only difference really.

“It may have been one the best finals ever. Four finals I’ve lost. That would have been 20-times world champion…”