Power switched off by Mardle - Sport in brief - Evening Standard
       

Power switched off by Mardle

Thirteen-time World Champion Phil Taylor was dumped out of the Ladbrokes.com PDC World Championship after a pulsating 5-4 defeat to Wayne Mardle.

Mardle won the final set by six legs to four after a thrilling match which saw the man dubbed 'Hawaii 501' reduced to tears by the end.

Taylor had opened up a 3-0 lead with a clinical display early on, but Mardle fought back in style to take the match to a final set which he edged.

It was the fourth time in a row that Taylor had been taken to the final set and the defeat means the tournament will stage a final without Taylor for the first time in its history.

"Everyone has said that he (Taylor) has played badly all week, but it takes a great game from me to beat him," Mardle told Sky Sports 2. "I felt fantastically good and I kept saying to my family 'don't worry, I'll win'.

"I won't let anyone down whether I win or not.

"I will not give up. I was 3-0 down and felt I could win and I did."

Taylor said: "He played brilliantly, he stuck in well.

"Fair play to the lad, he was brilliant in the final few legs. If Wayne gets his head on now he's got the best chance of his life to be world champion."

Qualifier Kirk Sheperd produced an inspired performance to edge past Peter Manley 5-4 and will meet Mardle in the last four.

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