16-time world champion Phil the Power Taylor was eliminated in the first round of the World Senior Darts Championship.Taylor lost 3-2 to Manfred Bildahl at the Circus Tavern, where many of his career highlights took place.
Friday 16 February 2024, UK, 23:24
Phil 'The Power' Taylor suffered an early exit in his last appearance at the World Senior Darts Championship, losing 3-2 to Germany's Manfred Bildahl at the Circus Tavern.
The 16-time world champion announced that 2024 would be his last year on the senior circuit, hitting his highest score three times and averaging 83.02 points, but it was a disappointing farewell tournament at the iconic venue and he finished I struggled with
Taylor battled back from two sets down to win the next two sets and take the match to a decider, where Bildahl won and booked a second round match against Chris Mason.
Taylor's legend at the Circus Tavern came to a disappointing end. There he reached the finals in all 14 of the PDC World Darts Championship finals held, winning 11 of them, but Taylor, 63, converted just eight of his 33 attempts at the double. could not. during his first round exit.
“Power” runs out at the circus bar
Taylor missed five doubles in the first leg to give Bildahl a break, but watched as his opponent started the next leg with four perfect darts for a held throw, but the 63-year-old Taylor was broken again and lost the first set in straight legs.
He finally got his feet on the board by pinning D16 early in the second set to break Bildahl, but the debutant rattled off the next three legs to move to a two-set advantage.
Taylor seemed to be gaining momentum when he broke Bildahl in the fourth leg of the third set to cut the lead in half and sealed the fourth set with an 86 on a two-dart combination.
Bildahl took advantage of Taylor's missed D16 to move within the winning leg, finishing 66 to break, and securing D10 in the next leg to achieve the most high-profile win of his career.
What else happened?
Mason beat Darryl Fitton 3-1 to reach the second round, Richie Barnett defeated former world champion Keith Deller by the same score, and Martin Adams and Kevin Painter also progressed through the first round.
Reigning champion Robert Thornton begins his title defense with a 3-1 win over Martin Turner, Richie Howson scores a 155 finish to secure a straight-sets win over John Part, while Glen Durrant takes the lead in the final set. He lost to Mark Dudbridge in the deciding match. Lisa Ashton defeated Michael Huntley by the same score.
The second round will take place on Saturday, the quarterfinals will be held on Sunday afternoon, and the semifinals and final will be played later that evening.
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