Darts wouldn’t be darts without a bit of needle, but rarely do things get as awkward as they did at the 2017 World Championships.
Arguably the greatest to ever do it, Phil Taylor was used to the odd bust-up on the oche, but when it happened in the Sky studio, we got a full glimpse of how ruthless the 14-time champion could be.
Without a world title since 2013, Taylor had just made his way into the quarter-finals with a 4-2 win over Belgian Kim Huybrechts.
Having just made his way into the main draw, it was time for ‘The Power’ to sit down and discuss his Alexandra Palace campaign so far, but Wayne Mardle decided to be a bit cheeky.
Mardle, a former player himself who’d previously clashed with Taylor on stage, wanted to get a reaction by asking about Kevin Painter’s antics in the previous round.
Taylor won that bout 4-0, but Mardle may have sensed a headline in the making if he could get the now 64-year-old to criticise his opponent.
Starting off on a down note, Mardle said: “I’m not going to point out any negatives – but I will anyway.
“You played great against David Platt, you looked in control. Against Kev the composure had gone but tonight it was back again. What was the difference with Kev?”
Taylor, sensing what angle the pundit was going for, replied: “You’ve played Kevin…”
Mardle tried again, commenting: “Yeah but you seemed so settled in one game and less settled in another.”
Taylor then took the question head-on, replying: “Kevin is hard work. He talks a lot and does whatever Kevin does, you know what he does.
“I’m not going to dwell on it. Kevin Painter is Kevin Painter. He’s hard work and a hard player to play.”
Mardle had one final go, beginning: “But tonight there wasn’t any point where you looked like…” but then Taylor had heard enough to cut him off.
Interjecting, he said: “Of all people you should not ask me a question like that. You’re going to put me in the s***.
“I’m going to say that because you have. You know what Kevin Painter is like. You’ve asked me a question and I’m going to answer it. You’re taking the mick out of me.”
After the host had to interject to apologise for bad language, Mardle reiterated his point, saying: “Your composure was good in the first game, it was gone in the second game, and in the third one it was back.”
Taylor again shut him down, added: “It had nothing to do with that, you’ve asked me why the difference with Kevin Painter.
“You know what Kevin Painter is like, you know what he does, you know his antics and you know what he does on stage. Whether Kevin says he does or he doesn’t, he does.”
Having one final go, Mardle said: “But normally that wouldn’t put you off. Why did he put you off easier?”
To which Taylor had the perfect final response.
“It didn’t put me off,” he said.
“I won 4-0.”
Perhaps mutually beneficial to both, Mardle got the headline he wanted with Taylor criticising Painter, and Taylor got to put his former rival back in his place.
Nevertheless, the conflict showed just how how tense the world of darts can be.
And with more eyes on the sport than ever, this year’s World Championships could easily spark even more confrontations.
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