TAYLOR AIMING FOR MORE HISTORY AS BETVICTOR WORLD MATCHPLAY KICKS OFF
THE 2014 BetVictor World Matchplay begins on Saturday as 32 players compete for a record prize fund in Blackpool, with reigning champion Phil Taylor chasing an amazing 15th win in the prestigious tournament.
Taylor has dominated the tournament for the past two decades, with last year's 18-13 win over Adrian Lewis in a thrilling final being his 14th win at the Winter Gardens and a record sixth successive triumph.
The Stoke legend - who also hit the event's first nine-dart finish back in 2002 - has not been defeated in Blackpool since he was knocked out in the 2007 semi-finals by Terry Jenkins, having embarked on a 30-game winning streak since.
Taylor will enter the fray with a first round clash against Darren Webster on Sunday evening, and said: "I love the World Matchplay, and coming back to Blackpool always seems to bring the best out of me.
"It's my favourite tournament, without a shadow of a doubt. There's something magical about the place and I've got so many great memories, but it would mean a huge amount to win another title next week."
Taylor starts the event as the 7/2 second favourite with sponsors BetVictor, who make World Champion Michael van Gerwen the 2/1 favourite to claim the £100,000 first prize a week on Sunday.
Taylor has been knocked from the top of the PDC Order of Merit this year and has also seen the World Championship, UK Open and Premier League Darts titles slip from his grasp - but is in confident mood ahead of his return to Blackpool.
"I've been practising really well," said Taylor. "I've made a little change to my darts and I'm really excited.
"It's not going to be easy because there's lots of players playing really well at the minute - we all know what Michael van Gerwen and Adrian Lewis are doing but James Wade's just won his first event for a couple of years and Peter Wright won last week, so he'll be dangerous."
World Champion van Gerwen, the number one seed for the BetVictor World Matchplay, will help to open the tournament on Saturday evening when he takes on experienced campaigner Steve Beaton in the first round.
"I'm looking forward to it and I'm ready for it," said van Gerwen, a semi-finalist in Blackpool last summer. "It's one of the best venues we play at and the atmosphere is fantastic.
"It's a massive tournament and one everyone wants to win, especially me. I have won the other two biggest tournaments in the World Championship and Premier League and I really want to add this one to it.
"There is maybe more pressure on me as World Champion and world number one this year but I much prefer that than no pressure because you haven’t won anything and have a low ranking.
"I am feeling confident and determined to succeed. This is a big target of mine this year."
Van Gerwen and Beaton met on the Winter Gardens stage in the second round two years ago, when the Dutch ace fired in his memorable nine-dart finish.
He added: "I already have some good memories in Blackpool and my nine-darter against Steve Beaton was a massive moment for me.
"I reached the quarter-finals after that in 2012 and the semi-finals last year so this year I need to make the final and win it.
"I am playing well even if I haven’t been getting brilliant results all the time recently - I have been sometimes losing with over 100 averages, but I think if I can keep that up over the longer format then I will be difficult to beat."
2007 World Matchplay champion James Wade - who alongside Taylor is the only other former winner in the field this year - is also in action on Saturday night, as he meets Andy Smith.
Wade ended almost three years without a tournament victory when he won the Gibraltar Darts Trophy European Tour event last month, and the five-time Blackpool finalist is hoping to take that form back onto the Winter Gardens stage.
"I want to win a TV tournament," said the number five seed. "I haven't won one for a while now.
"Winning's a habit, and it's a hard habit to get back if you've lost it. I feel really confident now with my darts and the way I'm throwing, and life around me is good."
Alongside his triumph seven years ago, Wade has lost out in four World Matchplay finals to Taylor, and admits: "I love the tournament, it was the first [major] tournament that I won.
"Also, the fans really are there for the darts and they interact really well at the right times. The venue is amazing, and the whole British family thing that surrounds Blackpool makes me really like it. It's the home of darts in my opinion."
World number four Simon Whitlock, a former World Matchplay semi-finalist, takes on 2011 Players Championship final winner Kevin Painter in a tasty Saturday night contest, with the Australian aiming to hit top form.
"My form has improved recently and I'm feeling good," said Whitlock, the 2012 European Champion who reached a European Tour final in Dusseldorf last weekend.
"My poor performance in the Premier League hurt me but I've put that behind me now and I really think I'm getting back to my best.
"The World Matchplay is a fantastic tournament and I would love to make it my second major title. It will be difficult as there are loads of great players in from and a lot of them are in my part of the draw but I believe I have a great chance."
The opening night also features two-time finalist Terry Jenkins taking on Ian White, who has reached the second round in the past two years in Blackpool before breaking into the world's top 16 in 2014.
"It's one of the best tournaments we play in and one of the best venues as well," said White. "It will be a great challenge against Terry but it would have been tough whoever I played in the first round because it's the 32 best players in the world."
Sunday's double session will kick off with four first round games in the afternoon, with Dave Chisnall taking on Dean Winstanley, Brendan Dolan meeting 2001 finalist Richie Burnett, Robert Thornton playing Paul Nicholson and Andy Hamilton facing Wayne Jones.
Two-time quarter-finalist Justin Pipe then plays former World Youth Champion Michael Smith in the evening session's opening fixture, before the Fylde coast 'derby' between Fleetwood's Wes Newton and Blackpool’s Ronnie Baxter, the 1998 runner-up.
Taylor then begins his title defence against Webster before the eagerly-awaited all-Dutch contest between Premier League Darts champion Raymond van Barneveld and Vincent van der Voort, who won last month's Austrian Darts Open in Salzburg.
The first round concludes on Monday night, with 2013 runner-up Adrian Lewis in action against debutant Andrew Gilding, resurgent Scot Gary Anderson's meeting with Jamie Caven and Mervyn King's clash with Belgian Kim Huybrechts.
World Championship finalist Peter Wright, last week's European Darts Open winner, is also in action as he meets debutant Stephen Bunting, the reigning Lakeside Champion, in a highly-anticipated contest.
"The Premier League's helped me and that's why I'm enjoying the bigger events like the European Tour events and looking ahead to Blackpool," said Wright.
"I'm used to the big stage now and I've learned to milk the crowd and enjoy playing in front of them, and I think I can get better and better now.
"Blackpool's a great place to play darts and a lovely venue. In the last few years when I've played there, I've not been quite right and feared some of the big stages but now I don't fear playing anywhere and I'm really looking forward to this year."
St Helens' Bunting moved over to the PDC circuit in January after claiming the Lakeside Championship title, and impressed with a victory in a UK Open Qualifier the following month to kick-start his rise into the world's top 50 inside six months.
"I'm so happy to have qualified for the World Matchplay," says Bunting. "When I moved over, I sat down with my manager and said this was definitely one of the tournaments I wanted to be in.
"To have qualified within the first six months of being in the PDC is an amazing achievement. I'm slightly nervous but I've been to Blackpool a few times before as a spectator so I know what it's like.
"It's a fantastic arena to play in and I can't wait to get up there now and do my stuff. It's going to be very special when I step onto that stage."
The tournament continues with the second round split across Tuesday and Wednesday nights, with the quarter-finals being held on Thursday and Friday before the semi-finals next Saturday and the final on Sunday.
The BetVictor World Matchplay has experienced record pre-event ticket sales in the past five months, with remaining tickets available from the Winter Gardens Box Office, either in person on Church Street in Blackpool or by calling Ticketmaster on 0844 856 1111.
BetVictor World Matchplay
First Round Schedule of Play
Saturday July 19
Evening Session (7pm-11pm)
First Round
Ian White v Terry Jenkins
Simon Whitlock v Kevin Painter
Michael van Gerwen v Steve Beaton
James Wade v Andy Smith
Sunday July 20
Afternoon Session (1pm-5pm)
First Round
Dave Chisnall v Dean Winstanley
Brendan Dolan v Richie Burnett
Robert Thornton v Paul Nicholson
Andy Hamilton v Wayne Jones
Evening Session (7pm-11pm)
First Round
Justin Pipe v Michael Smith
Wes Newton v Ronnie Baxter
Phil Taylor v Darren Webster
Raymond van Barneveld v Vincent van der Voort
Monday July 21
Evening Session (7pm-11pm)
First Round
Peter Wright v Stephen Bunting
Mervyn King v Kim Huybrechts
Adrian Lewis v Andrew Gilding
Gary Anderson v Jamie Caven
For the full BetVictor World Matchplay schedule of play and tournament information, click here to visit our NetZone.