PDC World Championship: Phil Taylor ponders future after exit

Taylor says he intends to carry on playing for 'another two to three years'

Phil Taylor says he is thinking of retirement after suffering a shock defeat at the PDC World Championship.

The 15-time world champion was beaten 4-1 by Dave Chisnall in round two at London's Alexandra Palace on Tuesday.

"I'm going to do another two or three years and then I'm going to retire," said the 51-year-old Stoke star.

Taylor, who had never failed to make the quarter-finals, revealed he had been handicapped by faltering eyesight and the heat against Chisnall.

But he added: "I'm not going to knock my performance, I'm not going to knock Dave's performance. I thought he was the better player."

Taylor looked out of sorts from the opening leg against his St Helens-based opponent.

And he told Sky Sports: "Dave was the better player.

"When he took that fourth set [to make it 3-1] it was a massive blow for me, then I was struggling. It's all on the night and I wasn't good enough."

A stunned Chisnall admitted: "I don't know how I did that. I threw well in the game but started getting a bit nervous at the end. When he gave me a chance I took it.

"I've always thought I can beat anybody if I play my game. I thought I could beat him when I came into the championship."

Taylor twice won the BDO version of the world title before switching to the rival PDC and winning the title 13 times, the last triumph coming in 2010.

He won the PDC event for first time in 1995, defending it seven times until losing to Canadian John Part in the 2003 final.

Chisnall is playing in his first PDC event, although the 31-year-old reached the BDO final in 2010.

He beat Mark Dudbridge 3-0 in round one at Alexandra Palace and signalled his intent against Taylor by winning the first set.

Taylor hit straight back to win the next but Chisnall went 3-1 up.

After taking the opening leg of the fifth set, Chisnall was pegged back by Taylor but won the next two legs, including a stuttering finish in the final leg.

Taylor missed two shots at double 20 before Chisnall finally hit double six to win the set 3-1 - and set up a meeting with fellow Englishman Andy Hamilton, who beat Dutchman Vincent van der Voort 4-3.