"Michael van Gerwen has got that extra gear at the minute" - Phil Taylor backs his old rival for World Championship glory

Phil Taylor was one half of a legendary duo doing the draw for the 2024 PDC World Darts Championship on Monday. Alongside his old rival Dennis Priestley, 'The Power' set up some intriguing ties.

"I've enjoyed it! It's lovely, I can sit with the lads and not worry about the draw or getting ready for the World Championships," Taylor reflected in conversation with Oche 180 at the event. "You can sense the tension in the players. They're smiling but behind those smiles... Trust me, they are worried.”

A few names in particular have stood out to the 16-time world champion as players to avoid. "No one wants to draw young Luke Littler. No one wants Fallon Sherrock or any of the lady players to be quite honest," he explains. Notably, the recently crowned World Youth Champion has been drawn against Christian Kist with a tie against Andrew Gilding awaiting, whilst Sherrock faces Jermaine Wattimena for the right to lock horns with Martin Schindler. Mikuru Suzuki meanwhile plays Ricardo Pietreczko with Callan Rydz laying in wait.

"I think if Beau Greaves would have been in it, she would have been a right handful as well," Taylor continues. "Whoever draws them is in for a problem. I think Fallon is one of the best finishers I've seen in the game of darts, including the men."

But as far as winning the tournament goes, who will Taylor be backing? "Michael van Gerwen," he answers firmly. "He'll be brassed off at missing all those doubles and getting beat in the final (Van Gerwen lost 11-9 to Luke Humphries in the Players Championship Finals ed.). He only gets better he really does. Luke is brilliant, Gerwyn Price and Michael Smith brilliant too but Michael (van Gerwen ed.) has got that extra gear at the minute."

Another man in the running is Gary Anderson, who beat Taylor in the final of the 2015 World Championship. "The best thing he's doing is he's playing with a smile on his face. That's when he's dangerous, when he's relaxed and he's enjoying it," says Taylor. "Peter Wright too, he's defending £500,000 so he's going to be on-song, trust me. He's going to be a handful."