Taylor on the Verge at Grand Slam of Darts

15-time World Champion Phil Taylor is on the verge of making a shock group stage exit at the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton this Wednesday evening.

Having been beaten at the semi-final stage of the World Grand Prix last month Taylor has failed to rediscover his form in the subsequent weeks. Now sporting a pair of spectacles on stage for the first time in his career ‘The Power’ is admittedly struggling to come to terms with the adjustment.

"I'm struggling with the glasses and because it's new for me I'm thinking about it all the time, but I've got to get used to them,” said Taylor following his defeat to Ted Hankey on Monday night.

He must now defeat Wes Newton in his final group game if he is to avoid being eliminated at the group stages of the Grand Slam of Darts for the first time in his career.

The bookmakers have the defending champion down as a 1/8 chance to beat Newton but some firms have pushed him out to as big as Even money to go all the way and win the event; quite a large price for a player who generally starts tournaments as a 1/3 favourite.

World number three Raymond van Barneveld could also be eliminated from the tournament at the group stages. He was comfortably beaten by Colin Lloyd on Monday night and now must beat BDO player Darryl Fitton if he is to make it through to the last 16. The bookmakers have Barney chalked up as a 4/9 chance to get the win that he needs.

Finally, there is a third straight shootout of the night in Group E as Co Stompe and Martin Phillips lock horns for a place in the knockout stages. Both have beaten an out-of-sorts Adrian Lewis and been beaten by a rampant Scott Waites so far in the event. The bookmakers can’t split them with odds of 10/11 being available on both players, and it could come down to which player can hold their nerve at the crucial junctures.