PHIL TAYLOR has paid tribute to Simon Whitlock after their classic Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship Final.
Taylor claimed his 15th World Championship title with a superb 7-3 win over the Australian on Sunday night, averaging over 104 in an imperious display.
Whitlock actually led 2-1 before Taylor reeled off five successive sets to storm 6-2 up, and included finishes of 170, 167 and 161 before sealing a famous victory with a 131 checkout.
"He pushed me all the way and never gave in," said Taylor. "He kept telling me in the breaks 'I'm after you, I'm coming back', and he was a great opponent.
"I felt like Nigel Benn against Chris Eubank, I felt like I'd hit him with every shot I could hit him with, and he just smiled at me and came back again.
"Nigel Benn told me Chris did that to him and I know how he felt now! He was great, and I thought if I didn't finish it when I did I was going to lose it, because my energy levels were dropping.
"Even though I've had some fantastic finals in the past, that's probably been harder on me because I'm getting older.
"I've had some great finishes but that double 16 is probably the greatest finish I've done in my career. To do that at that time, feeling the way I did, was fantastic."
Whitlock had knocked out Raymond van Barneveld, James Wade and Terry Jenkins during a brilliant tournament, and Taylor expects him to be a major contender when he competes full-time on the PDC circuit in 2010.
"He's as fit as a fiddle where darts is concerned and his confidence is very high," added Taylor.
"He kept saying 'I'm going to make a final of this', and said that even though he might lose he's going to give these lads a run for their money this year.
"He's going to be a massive opponent and they should watch out."