TERRY JENKINS has praised Phil Taylor for his performance in the stanjames.com World Matchplay final.
Jenkins was condemned to an 18-4 defeat in Sunday's Winter Gardens showpiece, which proved the heaviest loss in a final in the tournament's 16-year history.
Taylor claimed a tenth World Matchplay title with an imperious 106 average, and left Jenkins trailing as he suffered a seventh loss in a major final.
Much of the damage was done early on, as Taylor hit finishes of 128 and 144 against the throw in the opening three legs, and he ended the game having landed one ten-darter and three 11-dart finishes.
"I'm not surprised by what he did, I'm just disappointed with the way I played," said Jenkins.
"I know I can do a lot better than that but ot's easy for people to criticise but they don't realise what it's like when you're up there playing him.
"A lot of it was my fault in the final - nothing went for me and my darts seemed to land right on the wires.
"I thought that as long as I could hold my own for the first five or six legs I might be able to make him think.
"A robot couldn't be better, and he just keeps improving.
"There's no other player in any other sport who is as good as him, nobody. He is not a normal person."
Jenkins jumped back above Mervyn King to fifth place in the PDC Order of Merit by reaching the final, matching his achievement in the 2007 World Matchplay.
The £50,000 runners-up prize money could prove doubly crucial in maintaining a top six place for an automatic Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts spot in 2010.
"I've done better than I thought I would to defend the prize money I was defending," he added. "I want to get back into the Premier League and I'm happy with it.
"Before the World Matchplay started, if somebody said I'd get to the final and lose I'd have settled for that so I can't be too disappointed.
"It's another final and hopefully I'll get the win one day."
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