I’D LOVE TO SEE FALLON WIN A BIG FINAL
PHIL TAYLOR says the day is nearing when the Queen of the Palace, Fallon Sherrock, will win a major darts crown.
And The Power, who won 16 world titles before he took the final curtain three years ago, admitted: “I’d love to see it happen in my lifetime.”
When Sherrock takes on former Lakeside world champion Steve Beaton in the first round at Alexandra Palace next Sunday, Taylor expects the Bronzed Adonis to endure an uncomfortable night.
But he never thought he would see a woman threaten to smash the male monopoly at the William Hill PDC World Championship.
Taylor (below) even thinks Sherrock – the first woman to topple male opposition at Ally Pally when she upset Ted Evetts and Mensur Suljovic two years ago – will go on to rattle clog almighty himself, Michael van Gerwen, on the big stage.
Taylor, 61, said: “Will we see Fallon beat Michael in a major final one day? I would love to see it happen before I die – I’d love it.
“If not Fallon, then another lady, but she’s one hell of a player. Very humble, nice lady, but a proper darts player.
“I played her in one of those online challenge matches last year and she took me to the wire. Trust me, I would never let anyone beat me, and
I would have beaten her 10-0 if I could.
“But Steve, or whoever plays Fallon at the world championship, is going to be nervous, and I don’t envy them – especially in front of a crowd.
“Her finishing is one of the best I’ve seen and that 170 she hit to qualify for the knockout stage at the Grand Slam had me out of my seat. I was watching on TV with my grandson Matthew and when she left 170, I said to him, ‘She could do this – I don’t think she’ll get it, but she’ll have a go’. When she hit the bullseye, it was like, ‘Wow, how about that?’
“You don’t put it past Michael or Gerwyn Price to produce a finish like that, but only the top players can do it under pressure. “She had to win that leg or she would have been out. Takes some nerve, that. She can play.”
Earlier this week, Professional Darts Corporation chairman Eddie Hearn admitted Sherrock could make the cut for next year’s Premier League because she’s the “golden ticket” commercially.
Taylor added: “She would be a big draw. I know Barry Hearn (the former PDC chairman) has stepped back a bit from running the show, but he likes picking people who will sell tickets – it’s like boxing.” Taylor reckons old rival MVG will find it increasingly difficult to add to his three titles.
He warned: “I think Michael’s going to struggle – the darts calendar is so demanding, they are away 40 weekends of the year.
“That’s bound to take its toll – he’s got two young children, he’s going to miss them, and there will be a lot more pressure on him because the players are getting better and getting used to him.
“Each generation that comes through will be a little less fearful of him.
“Michael has often complained that people raise their game against him. Last year, Joe Cullen played the game of his life to knock him out of the world championship and then he came up against Chizzy (Dave Chisnall), who was just unstoppable.
“That’s how it is – I had to deal with it many times myself. There are lots of people who can play out of their skin and win, but not that many who do it consistently to win the big tournaments.”