PHIL TAYLOR has set his sights on regaining his status as world number one, after claiming a record-extending 15th World Matchplay title.
Taylor enjoyed his best week of 2014 so far as he picked up an amazing seventh successive Blackpool title at the BetVictor World Matchplay,
The Stoke great hit a memorable nine-darter in his second round win over Michael Smith before edging past Gary Anderson 17-15 in the semi-finals, and produced a stunning display to power past Michael van Gerwen 18-9 in the final.
Van Gerwen has overtaken Taylor as World Champion and as world number one this year, but the 53-year-old is determined to continue his resurgence in the second half of 2014.
"Last week in Blackpool was great for me and I want to kick on from here now," said Taylor. "I want to get back to world number one again and to win back the World Championship.
"That's not because people had been writing me off, but I want to prove to myself that I can do it once more.
"The World Matchplay's massive and it's fantastic to have won it again. I'm a very ambitious player and I want to win everything I enter, and I'm going to keep setting targets.
"I want to keep winning and keep setting records so that these young people coming through have something to aim for."
Van Gerwen was left in tears on stage after losing out in his first World Matchplay final, but Taylor backed the Dutch ace - who gets married to partner Daphne on Friday - to bounce back.
"Michael's a great competitor and we'll have loads more battles," said Taylor. "I love him to bits and you could see in Blackpool how much it meant to him.
"He wears his heart on his sleeve and he gave it his all. I don't feel sorry for him because he's beaten me a few times this year too, but he's only young and he'll learn from it and move on."
Taylor is next in action on August 15-16 in the Singapore Darts Masters before heading to further World Series of Darts events in Perth and Sydney, and added: "I'm buzzing now and really excited about the next few months.
"I've had a nightmare time for the last six months and it was so embarrassing for me - the worst time in my career. I've been ridiculed on the street and getting stick, and I've never had that in my career before - but Phil Taylor's back with a vengeance.
"I've played rubbish this year but everything's come together and my equipment's right, and I think I can do better averages than ever before.
"When I got to Blackpool and started practising before the first round, Wes Newton was watching me and he said he knew I was back playing proper darts. The other players know that if they want to beat me they're going to have to play well now."