Veteran Colin Monk insists he can pull off a huge upset and dump Phil Taylor out of the World Darts Championship.
Veteran needs career-best to topple Taylor in World Championship
Veteran Colin Monk insists he can pull off a huge upset and dump Phil Taylor out of the World Darts Championship, but knows it will take a monumental effort to dethrone the reigning champion.
The 42-year-old pulled out the toughest draw of the lot as he was paired with defending champion and 14-time winner Taylor.
If 'The Power' is vulnerable, it is often early on in tournaments, but having cleaned up all the major events this year it is no surprise that he is a heavy odds-on favourite to conquer the world again.
Monk does not have to wait long for his crack at the champion, with his game against Taylor taking place on the opening night of the tournament on Friday.
Having played in 14 previous World Championships, Monk is a veteran of the game, and he knows he will need a career-best average to topple the mighty Taylor.
Worst draw
"Nobody wants to draw Phil but I've got to get on with it now," said Monk. "He's only a human being and I've got to hope things go my way and he has a bit of a stinker - but that doesn't happen much to a 14-time World Champion.
"I'm up against it but I need to raise my game and average around 104 or 105 to stand a chance. The main thing is that when he has a shot at a double that I'm on a two-dart finish and not on 167 or 200.
"I've got to be there and putting pressure on him. I've played him three times and lost but earlier this year I was 4-2 up against him and had three darts at double ten to go 5-2 up and blew it, and lost 6-4."
World number 52 Monk is a 16-1 outsider to beat Taylor, and he is still smarting from losing 3-0 to Denis Ovens in his previous first round match at Alexandra Palace two years ago.
"That day was a nightmare and I didn't play at all well to be honest," added Monk. "Whether I win or lose against Phil I want to earn some credibility and show the fans that I can play the game.
"I want to go up there and play well, regardless of whether I win or lose."
Nine-darter
Monk qualified for the Las Vegas Desert Classic this summer, losing to Dennis Priestley in America only weeks after the veteran ended his UK Open hopes in Bolton.
"The day I qualified I was absolutely mustard, I played really well," added Monk. "I had an early start the next day and, though it was the same for Dennis, it wasn't great preparation for me and I was disappointed that I didn't push him harder."
Monk also hit the first competitive nine-darter of his career in June in a Players Championship in Barnsley - amazingly with a set of borrowed darts.
"I hit the nine-darter but it wasn't with my own darts!" he revealed. "I borrowed Steve Maish's darts to try something new, and I banged in a nine-darter with them.
"I was playing Ray Farrell and won 6-1 and we worked out that I had legs of 13, 12, he had an 11-darter, I hit the nine-darter and then had a 13 and 14 darter in winning.
"It was a cracking game but the darts soon went wrong and I gave them back to Steve in a temper, so I'm back with my own darts now."
