Phil Taylor has admitted that his recent loss of form left him suffering sleepless nights.
'The Power' lost his opening four games of the Betway Premier League, including a 7-0 defeat at the hands of Michael van Gerwen in the opening round of the competition.
The 53-year-old eventually stopped the rot and now occupies a playoff spot ahead of tonight's return clash with the Dutchman.
"I've been waking up in the middle of the night, wondering how I was going to break the cycle of bad results," Taylor is quoted as saying by The Mirror. "You lie awake at two, three, four in the morning, thinking about every aspect of your game - stems, flights, barrels, footwear, eyesight, posture, diet.
"You name it, I've gone through it all a thousand times, mostly when the rest of the country is fast asleep. I've never had a run like it in my whole career, and it's only human nature to wonder if this is the end of an era.
"But last year, I was playing the best darts of my life. I haven't become a bad player overnight, and I'm not going to turn my back on the circuit at the first sign of trouble. TV titles are your bread and butter, and that's where I've got to prove myself again. Don't worry, we're getting closer."
Elsewhere tonight, Gary Anderson takes on Adrian Lewis and Peter Wright faces Dave Chisnall.
Daniel Lewis
