KEVIN PAINTER will enter the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship in confident mood - despite what he describes as his worst year on the circuit.
Painter - the losing finalist in 2004 - suffered disappointment 12 months ago when he exited the World Championship at the quarter-final stage.
That was compounded in January when he suffered ankle ligament damage and was sidelined for six weeks.
But the Cambridgeshire-based star is looking forward to returning to the Circus Tavern next week.
"It's probably the worst year I've had since I joined the PDC as far as results go," admitted Painter.
"The injury at the start of the year set me off on a bad foot, and reaching the quarter-finals in Las Vegas was probably my best result.
"That's pretty poor by my standards, but I'm still number six in the world so I can't have done too much wrong.
"I do beat myself up over my results, but now and again you have to give yourself a pat on the back and say 'You've not done that badly to be number six in the world'."
Painter seemed to have regained his best form at the Sky Bet World Grand Prix in Ireland, powering past Terry Jenkins before suffering a narrow 3-2 loss to Mark Dudbridge.
"I was going well in the tournament but sometimes a couple of things go against you that turn a game," he said.
"Mark suddenly started playing brilliantly from being pretty poor for the first two sets, and I missed a couple of vital doubles.
"I still had chances to win it but a couple of mistakes cost me.
"But the last tournament is what you go on, and as far as I'm concerned I'm playing well again now.
"Since Blackpool [when he lost in the first round of the World Matchplay to Adrian Lewis] things have been alright, my form's good and I'm practising well so I'm looking forward to getting started."
Painter faces 22-year-old PDPA Qualifier Dale Newton in his first round match, and he admits it will be a tricky opener.
"The draw could have been worse," he said.
"No disrespect to Dale, I don't know anything about him and he's obviously no mug because he has qualified, but some of the other players have nasty draws."
Since the World Matchplay, Painter has become a father for the first time, and he is coping well with family life - apart from losing sleep!
"You spend a lot of time awake, and I'm the sort of person who likes quite a lot of sleep!" he added. "That's the only thing that has affected me though, but it's nice.
"Before that happened the most important thing in your life is your darts or your career, but your family come first and I wouldn't have swapped it for anything - except a few more lie-ins!"
Painter went to within a whisker of winning the World Championship in January 2004, leading Phil Taylor before going down 7-6 in a classic encounter.
"It seems a long time ago now but I still think about it now and again," Painter revealed.
"It would be nice to get to another final and make sure I win it this time.
"I'm getting back towards the sort of form that I was in when I got to that final, which is pleasing.
"With me being my own worst critic, I would be the first to say if I wasn't near that form, but I think I am.
"But you can't anything on form alone, you have to have a bit of luck now and again, so if I play properly and get a little luck you never know how far you would go."
Painter could potentially meet Taylor once again in the quarter-finals of this year's tournament, and he is determined to finally break his run of defeats to the 12-time World Champion.
"If Phil plays his best game, he's going to win every tournament because his best game is better than anybody else's best game," admitted Painter.
"But one day I will hopefully catch him when he's not on such form.
"Obviously the schedule would see us meet as we're in the same half of the draw, but I've got other hard games to get through before that.
"I keep meeting Phil and one day he tends to play absolutely brilliantly against me!
"I normally play quite well against him too, so hopefully I'll still be in the tournament when it comes to the quarter-finals and I'll give it another shot."
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