Taylor lauds praise on Suzuki ahead of soft-tip charity clash: "She is a hell of a player and I wouldn’t bet against her beating me on the soft-tip board"

Phil Taylor will take on Mikuru Suzuki later this evening in a soft-tip charity clash on the Target Nexus board as Darts from Home continues into it's second iteration.

Taylor spoke ahead of it and spoke about the late, great Eric Bristow and thinking about what he would do during lockdown which has spurred him on ahead of this game.

“I was saying to my manager Bob ‘What would Eric have done during lockdown?," said Taylor.

“He would have been pulling his hair out obviously. But also he was one who could be disciplined. It doesn't feel like he has gone. Eric had a big influence in my life and it still feels like he’s still there."

“I didn’t see him all the time. But we did text each other. And it still feels like he’s still there. You’d imagine Eric saying: ‘Why are you sitting down there? Mikuru isn’t sitting down watching TV.’

“He would rub it in. And if I got beat, I wouldn’t answer my phone. I would change my number and switch my phone off.”

On facing Suzuki

Ahead of the tie, Suzuki called Taylor the God of Darts and he knows that with the pedigree of 'The Miracle' that he won't be taking the game likely and that it will be a lot more relaxed playing against her at home as opposed to the cacophony of noise that would greet him on stage.

“Mikuru called me the God of Darts – well that’s a nice compliment. But I won’t take any notice. I mean I feel as old as God.“Mikuru is brilliant. She is good as gold with a great sense of humour.

“She is a hell of a player and I wouldn’t bet against her beating me on the soft-tip board. I’ll be up against it tomorrow that’s for sure. It will be a lot nicer playing on the soft-tip in my living room."

“Because when you play a lady player on stage you get booed. Trust me, it’s so difficult. Everybody in the room bar your loved ones is booing you. They want the lady player to win. You have to really concentrate.”

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