10 Best Darts Players In The World Today
Has Phil Taylor lost his tag of the world's best darts player?
Phil Taylor has realistically secured himself the title of most successful darts player ever after two decades of domination but has the time come where he is no longer seen as the best player on the planet?
After 16 world championships and 82 major titles, there used to be an expectancy that the Stoke-on-Trent thrower would rule the sport until his retirement but the introduction of the PDC Tour Card and the influx of young talent has left Taylor as vulnerable as he has ever felt during his illustrious career.
Even players who have been around the game for a while are showing more disregard for the so-called fear factor that used to accompany the veteran in each of his matches and it has resulted in the sport attracting new levels of support as the top-ranked throwers often find themselves being upstaged by those placed below them.
It means that both the PDC and BDO standings do not necessarily represent a true indication of who are the best throwers in the world today and it is a subject area that we have discussed in this top-10 list.
10. 10. Michael Smith
By his own high standards, Michael Smith endured a difficult two months during his first appearance in the Premier League but he still possesses the quality to sneak into our top 10.
Smith's power scoring let him down during the 10- man tournament but he is generally considered to be one of the best 180 hitters in the sport and it is why he occupies a place in eighth spot in the PDC order of Merit.
At the age of 25, the St Helens thrower has time to add greater consistency to his game but ashe has demonstrated in PDC floor tournaments, he is tough to stop when in full flow.
Smith has won half-a-dozen non-televised tournaments and reached the semi-finals of the Grand Slam of Darts late last year, but his greatest achievement so far is his World Youth Championship triumph in 2013.
'Bully Boy' dropped just five legs in six matches as he stormed to victory and it completed the transition from a highly rated prospect to a player with the temperament to succeed on the big stage.
He won't be entirely satisfied with his results in televised matches, but the future is bright for Smith and he has the potential to become a major force for the next two decades.