Shock on oche as 'Power' cut off

The world of darts was in shock yesterday as the news that Phil "The Power" Taylor had finally been beaten was sinking in.

Not since July 1999, at the World Matchplay when Peter Manley achieved the unthinkable, had the nine-times world champion lost in a major competition. His unlikely victor at the Paddy Power World Grand Prix Championship at the grand setting of the Citywest Hotel in Dublin late on Wednesday night was Kevin Painter, a 33-year-old qualifier from Essex, who announced himself "well pleased".

"When you see the draw come out, and you see you've got Phil Taylor you are not too happy, but you have to accept it. You've just got to get on with it though," Painter said.

Taylor found it hard to get on with it, however, blaming some late nights and lack of practice. Taylor, who has won the last seven main events he has entered, went 1-0 ahead, but Painter came back at him and levelled the score. Painter then raced into a 2-0 lead in the deciding set before Taylor pulled one back, but Painter hit double top with his first dart.

Taylor was understandably devastated by the loss. "It's given me a kick up the backside, that's for sure. The next one will be a different story."

"My preparations were all wrong coming into this," he said. "I've been working hard for the last two weeks, playing exhibition matches and staying up too late. I shouldn't have done that. I felt tired before the match, it was a mistake really. Don't worry – I'll be ready for the World Championships at Christmas."