Taylor Progresses Unbeaten | Thebigtip

Phil Taylor was grateful for "a proper game of darts" when ending the 2011 William Hill Grand Slam of Darts dream for Mervyn King and booking his own place in the last 16 of the Wolverhampton Civic Hall showpiece.

Three-time tournament winner Taylor needed three legs to make sure of his progress to the knockout stages and sent out an ominous warning with four maximums from his first four darts, although it was his great rival who broke first.

The pair continued to trade blows until Taylor threw a second 13-dart leg to go 4-3 up before the Potteries legend secured his place in the next round after a rare visit to double one. Those looking at the darts betting will have been impressed by his overall performance.

The 15-time world champion will take on in-form Fleetwood thrower Wes Newton, a quarter-finalist at the Players Championship Finals this year, in a mouth-watering second-round showdown.

"I'm very pleased," said Taylor. "Getting through the group stage unbeaten is the first goal and I've achieved that, and my performances have been getting better with each game.

"I'm feeling good and it's going to be a cracking game against Wes on Friday because he's had a great year."

King, who famously clashed with Taylor during the 2009 Premier League season, was not disgraced in losing and his rival welcomed the competition from those desperate to dethrone him. Those looking ahead to the World Darts betting will be keeping an eye on him.

He added:  "That was a proper game of darts. Mervyn came out to win that. It's great now, we've got him and Paul Nicholson, who's also a bit of a bad boy, we just need Ted Hankey to come over now."

Steve 'The Adonis' Beaton, who needed to better King's result, overcame 19-year-old emerging talent James Hubbard 5-2 earlier in the night to join Taylor in the next round.

Taylor stats:
11              100+
6               140+
3               180s
79              High Finish
2               Legs against throw
5/6 – 31%                Finishing - %