BASINGSTOKE’S Colin Monk is cursing his luck after being drawn against reigning champion and world number one Phil Taylor in the opening round of the World Darts Championship.

Monk, who lives in Buckskin, had been hoping to give his world ranking and finances a boost by winning a couple of games at the top darts event – but he could not have been handed a tougher opponent in the first round.

Taylor, known as ‘The Power’, has won the world title an amazing 14 times and will be looking to retain his crown when the tournament gets underway at Alexandra Palace, in London, next Friday.

Even Monk acknowledges that it would be a huge surprise if he won the match, which is likely to be screened live on Sky Sports.

“Playing in the world championship, the last person you want to draw in the first round is Phil Taylor,” Monk said.

“He’s an animal. I have beaten all of the other players near the top of the rankings but Taylor is different gravy.

“When I qualified for the worlds, I was thinking that getting through a couple of rounds could fund my darts for a couple of years – but the draw has crippled me.

“At the end of the day, I’m just going to go up there, enjoy it and may the best man win. It’s an honour to play him.”

The match is due to take place at 9.50pm on the opening day of the tournament – and Monk admits his best hope is if he can catch Taylor cold.

“If you have to play him, you want it to be the first round because it’s only the best of five sets,” the 42-year-old explained. “I have more chance then than in a longer game.

“Hopefully, he won’t have hit his stride in the first round because he normally averages 105 for three darts, which is my maximum. He can sometimes be up to 110 and if he plays like that, I’m in for a hiding.

“If he misses a couple of doubles, I have got to be close enough to take advantage and I need to be playing my best darts to do that.”

Monk, who will net £6,000 if he goes out in the first round, is currently 52nd on the Professional Darts Corporation’s Order of Merit.

He has failed to make it beyond the first round in three previous visits to the organisation’s World Darts Championship.

He has also lost all three of his previous matches against Taylor but did reach the semi-finals of the British Darts Organisation’s World Professional Darts Championship in 1998 and 2002 – so the world number one is taking nothing for granted.

“I think any player you draw is going to be good any way,” Taylor said.

“I’m not worried as such but I’m slightly concerned because Colin’s a good player, so I’m going to get myself ready.”