Taylor turns up the heat

Taylor turns up the heat

World number one eases past Ronnie Baxter in Bolton

Phil Taylor: Very impressive against Baxter (pic Lawrence Lustig, from skysports)

Phil Taylor averaged 110 as he overwhelmed Ronnie Baxter 9-4 to move into the quarter-finals of the Speedy Services UK Open.

The four-time champion followed up wins over Roland Scholten and Colin Osborne with his best display of the event so far, hitting seven 180s.

Baxter played his part in an entertaining contest, hitting six maximums and a 156 checkout, and joined Taylor in hitting six perfect darts in one leg only for both players to miss out on a possible nine-darter.

Taylor, who opened the game with a 149 checkout, was pegged back from 2-0 up to two-all before winning six successive legs to lead 8-2, and although Baxter rallied the Stoke great pushed into the quarter-finals.

"Ronnie's back to his best and he pushed me hard," said Taylor. "It was a good battle and the only thing missing was a nine-darter.

 

"It was a better performance from me and I'm improving in each round, and that's good going into Sunday because it's a tough day with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final, so I'll be ready for it now."