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Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
'I won the World Matchplay 16 times - this is how I gained an edge over other players'
Phil Taylor will forever be synonymous with the World Matchplay, even discounting the fact that the iconic competition's trophy is named after him, and he's opened up about why he was prolific in Blackpool Few have hit the jackpot in the Las Vegas of the North as often as Phil 'The Power' Taylor. Darts' greatest thrower forged an inseparable love affair with Blackpool and the World Matchplay during his years presiding over the PDC, winning the competition an unfathomable 16 times. Taylor has often admitted that while the World Darts Championship may be the largest event on the darting calendar, the Matchplay is its darling, partly down to the time of year it is staged. Just two words were needed from the 16-time champion of the world to describe how he views the Matchplay: "My favourite." He continued: "One of the reasons why I love the Matchplay so much is that it was played in summer. The World Championships are in the middle of winter. And it's freezing. "You can't go out. You can't do anything. You've got your heating on. Whereas in Blackpool, the windows are wide open, and you can sit outside. You can sunbathe if you want! It was fantastic." Taylor first tasted Matchplay glory during its second ever running in 1995, and kept up the habit of making the Winter Gardens a happy hunting ground. Winning at any venue in any sport 16 times is no mean feat, and Taylor shed some slight insight into what made him so potent when it came time to defend or regain his title in July. "I was one for always pushing forward," added Taylor. "So, I always took a mattress topper with me, a single mattress topper, no matter where I went in the UK. I took my own pillows, because I've got good pillows. I took cooking equipment into my room sometimes. I didn't want to risk anything. World Matchplay Darts 2025 preview ON SALE NOW Warm up for the World Matchplay darts at the famous Winter Gardens with our 48-page preview publication, which is available to order now The height of summer, darts, Blackpool. It can only mean one thing - the World Matchplay at the famous Winter Gardens. You can get ready for one of the highlights of the darting year with our special preview publication. "I watched a program about bodybuilders, and they never ate out of restaurants when they were ready for a competition, just in case they got food poisoning. So, I thought, 'That's clever. They're right.' I'd go to the butcher and buy fresh meat and fresh eggs, things like that, and cook my own food. "I watched cyclists and saw what they did. A cyclist would take a mattress topper wherever they went and make their bed exactly how they would at home. I thought, 'That's bloody clever, that.' "Then, I'd go out and buy three or four pairs of the same shoes. So, I'd wear one pair on the Monday, because the soles would be fresh and then wear another pair on Tuesday, Wednesday, and then revert back to the first pair. Just little things like that might give you that one per cent extra." Despite the Winter Gardens gifting Taylor a great deal of memories that will last a lifetime, one particular victory at the iconic venue's oche stands out. "I think my favourite win there of all time has got to be the last one when I was retiring," he admitted. "Because that was, I think, the hardest rounds I've ever played." Before The Power stepped away from the PDC in early 2018, he made what was expected to be his final appearance at the Matchplay in July of 2017, and, aged 56, he didn't disappoint. "It was Gerwyn Price in the first round. Raymond van Barneveld, Michael Van Gerwen, Adrian Lewis and then the final was Peter Wright. It was a tough," added Taylor. The Power swept through the field eight years ago, and added one last notch to his Matchplay belt by destroying Wright 18-8 in the final, averaging a whopping 104. "I think the odds were about 40 or 50 to one to win the tournament. Then coming back and doing that, winning it. I won it quite easily, to be honest!" he quipped. "I was relaxed. I never felt under pressure there. Never once felt anything. The weather was fantastic. You'd just toddle down the venue in the afternoon, and then just have two or three hours' practice, then go on stage. It was lovely." In light of his affinity for the Matchplay, the competition's silverware was renamed the Phil Taylor Trophy after his PDC swansong in 2018, but physical accolades aren't really The Power's thing. When asked where he was when he found out the PDC would rename the Matchplay trophy after himself, Taylor lightheartedly replied: "I don't know actually. I'd probably have been at home! "It's lovely, though. Absolutely lovely," he continued, touching on having the accolade named after him. "They gave me the original Matchplay trophy, you know, which Target [the manufacturer who sponsors Taylor] have got. "Because I don't really have trophies or anything. My grandkids have got them, or my daughter's got them, or somebody's got them. But I haven't got any trophies. Barry Hearn always used to say to me, 'You can't eat trophies.' He'd say, 'Money's better in the bank. You can eat with that. You can buy food with that.'" In May, Taylor officially hung up his darts for good, stepping away from all forms of throwing. Looking back on his career, though he won all there was to win, he still feels he could have been triumphant more often. "I did all right [at the Matchplay]," he joked. "I did okay. Looking back now, I think I could have been better. You know, once you're retired, you can look back at your career and think, 'Do you know what? I wish I'd have tried that, I wish I'd have tried this.' "But, it's too late now, it's been and gone. But I always think I could have done better. Definitely [could have won more] World Championships. I probably could have done 20, I think. But we did okay. "I haven't even got a set of darts now. Or a dartboard. I've got a dartboard in the back room. But it's still in the box. I was so dedicated and everything. I've never missed darts once, though, honestly," he continued. "I couldn't perform like Phil Taylor could perform. So it broke my heart a little bit. My body had changed. "I mean, I'm 65 this year. It got harder and harder for me, and I couldn't perform. And people were paying money to come and see me, all these supporters and everything. It broke my heart not to perform like I can. And I thought, 'I can't do this anymore. This is not right.' If I do something, I have to do it properly. I'm a bit of a perfectionist. "So, I do other things. I enjoy my life now. I see my grandkids a lot more. And the best thing in the world is staying and sleeping in your own bed. Which I'd never been able to do for 30 years, and I love it!"
Metro
16 hours ago
- Sport
- Metro
Defending champion Luke Humphries stunned on first night of World Matchplay
Luke Humphries' defence of his World Matchplay title has ended on the opening night of the event as the champion was downed 10-8 by Gian van Veen. The game was tight throughout, but the world number one could not find his brilliant best consistently, finishing with an average of 95.69. The Dutchman was ahead on that front, 98.45, and crucially was more clinical on the outer ring, where Cool Hand struggled. Humphries will be very disappointed with checking out at just 29 per cent, while Van Veen was hitting four of every 10 shots at double. The 23-year-old is one of the most impressive rising stars of the oche, but is yet to have the regular deep runs in major tournaments to really put his stamp on the sport. That could change now, though, considering this victory as the biggest of his career so far. 'Of course I've done plenty in my career so far but at the moment this feels like the biggest win of my career,' he told Sky Sports. 'Finally I hit that winning double and I think this is the biggest win of my career.' Ever the classy operator, Humphries had nice words for the winner on stage after the game. Van Veen added: 'I'm so happy with this win, to beat such a phenomenal player like Luke. 'He even said to me after the game I hope you have a good run this tournament because you really deserve it. He's such a great champion, he's such a great guy. I'm over the moon.' Van Veen's first victory on the Winter Gardens stage sets up a clash with Danny Noppert in the last 16 after he thrashed Cameron Menzies 10-2 earlier on Saturday night. More Trending The Scot struggled on debut, at one point busting his score of 178 by chucking a 180, which was a moment he struggled to recover from. An average of 81.35 was a bit of a disaster, while Noppert was solid enough to pick up a comfortable win. The first match of the tournament saw James Wade turn in a stunning performance to hammer Joe Cullen 10-3. In his 20th consecutive year at the World Matchplay, the Machine averaged a brilliant 104.44 to show that he is once again a threat to lift the trophy, which he did in Blackpool in 2007. MORE: World Matchplay Darts 2025 schedule, time, TV channel and odds MORE: Gerwyn Price in confident Matchplay mood: 'I should be favourite' MORE: World Matchplay Darts draw sees legends collide in Blackpool
Wales Online
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Get your ultimate World Matchplay Darts 2025 preview now
Get your ultimate World Matchplay Darts 2025 preview now Warm up for the World Matchplay darts at the famous Winter Gardens with our 48-page preview publication, which is available to order now Luke Humphries after winning the World Matchplay for the first time (Image: Ben) The height of summer, darts, Blackpool. It can only mean one thing - the World Matchplay at the famous Winter Gardens. You can get ready for one of the highlights of the darting year with our special preview publication. Luke Humphries will be looking to defend the title he won so brilliantly last year but chief rival Luke Littler will have something to say. The world champion will be desperate to make an impact after crashing out in the first round to Michael van Gerwen 12 months ago. Plenty of other stars will be in the mix for what is regarded as the sport's most illustrious prize after the World Championship. Our bumper 48-page special has every base covered, including profiles on all the leading players, plus special features on Humphries, Littler, Van Gerwen, Nathan Aspinall and Gerwyn Price. There are exclusive interviews with 16-time Matchplay king Phil Taylor and three-time world champion John Part, who recall their Matchplay memories. Article continues below Meanwhile, outspoken Dutchman Vincent van der Voort gives a typically no-nonsense verdict on the state of the game. We've spoken to the hypnotherapist who helped transform Stephen Bunting into a world-beater. Sports promoter Jason Francis, who runs World Seniors Darts, gives an insight on his relationship with the PDC. Meanwhile, we've quizzed key figures behind the scenes at Sky Sports in the wake of the network's bumper new deal to cover the sport. Article continues below There are also six pages devoted to the Women's World Matchplay as Beau Greaves looks to defend her title, with exclusive interviews about the tournament and the general growth of the female game. Click HERE to buy online and have it delivered directly to your door, or you can purchase it in participating supermarkets, high street retailers and independent newsagents in the UK. Online postage and packaging costs apply.
