RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD knows that he will have to continue his good form if he is to defeat Phil Taylor in the Holsten Premier League Darts next Thursday.
The Dutchman won his first PDC title when he took the Budweiser UK Open Midlands Regional Final in Sheffield on Sunday.
He produced some brilliant darts throughout the weekend, including whitewashes of Colin Lloyd and Richie Burnett before a 2-1 defeat of Ronnie Baxter in the final.
"I'm delighted," he said. "It was a very good run for me.
"For the third time, I was in Bob Anderson's group, then I played Adrian Lewis, Lionel Sams, Colin Lloyd, Richie Burnett and Ronnie Baxter in the final.
"I'm very happy because you have to work hard and play very well to win one of these tournaments.
"I had a lot of 11, 12 and 13-darters on Saturday, and had three 13-darters in the first set against Ronnie as well.
"I'm quite happy with how I'm playing at the moment, but I'm playing top darts every week and that's good for me.
"I used to play once a month in tournaments before I joined the PDC, now I have to do it week-in, week-out and it's good, I'm enjoying it."
Van Barneveld went into the Midlands Regional Final without any pressure, after qualifying for the televised finals in Bolton at the second attempt in Manchester previously.
"I was quite lucky there, because Bob Anderson missed something like seven darts to beat me," he admitted.
"I didn't play that well on the final day and lost in the semi-final to Alan Tabern, but I could relax for this one."
He meets Taylor for the second time in the Premier League at the Doncaster Dome next Thursday, with the pair drawing 7-all in Bournemouth last month.
"The man is something else," said van Barneveld. "You have to hit 13-darters all the time, and you can't afford to miss doubles against him.
"When we've played before, I've always missed doubles and he hasn't, although he missed a few against me in the draw.
"I hope that I can beat him on my birthday on 20 April, but he is already in the semi-finals so I know that we could meet again if I qualify."
Taylor has yet to be defeated since the Premier League began last year, and has made a point of his desire to continue his unbeaten run throughout 2006.
"I'd like to go through unbeaten too, but on the other hand if he beats me next Thursday I'm not out of the tournament," he said.
"I'd rather beat him in the semi-finals or the final than on 20 April - but I'll still be out to get him next week!"
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