Klaasen Aiming To Double Up

JELLE KLAASEN is aiming to pick up back-to-back Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts wins on Thursday - but admits he faces a great challenge in Phil Taylor.

Klaasen claimed his maiden Premier League victory with an 8-6 defeat of Terry Jenkins in Birmingham last week.

Having previously picked up two draws, he moved onto four points - within two victories of the play-off places with six matches remaining.

He takes on Taylor in Glasgow, having gone down 8-2 when they last met, and he is hoping to improve on that result this time around if he is to move towards the top four.

"I'm not thinking about the play-offs at the moment," said Klaasen. "I'll have to win virtually every game and maybe only lose or draw once.

"It's possible but I'm going to look at it game by game now. I won last week and I want to win this week, but it's going to be difficult because I'm playing Phil.

"I played badly against him last time but I just want to play my game.

"If I get chances and hit them it's going to be difficult for Phil, but I know he's going to play well.

"It's going to be a tough game but you've always got a chance, but you have to do it in the first half of the game."

Klaasen went into the second half of the league campaign with the second lowest checkout percentage, at 35%.

But he was vastly improved in his finishing against Jenkins, with his display including a crucial 111 finish to break throw.

"The 111 finish was very important," he admits. "I had a couple of chances in the earlier stages, but I missed 104 and 114 on the double, but that 111 turned the game around.

"I started better and went 2-0 up but then Terry came back and levelled. After the break, I started to score better and my finishing was good.

"If I'd hit my doubles better in the previous seven games I could maybe have been in the top four by now.

"But I'm glad I won on Thursday. It's always good for your confidence and I hope to play better from now on."

At 24, Klaasen is the youngest player in this year's Premier League and one of two debutants in the event, but feels he is improving from every week in the limelight.

"I've learned a lot," added Klaasen. "It's new for me, playing top players every week on stage and it's experience for me, and I'm playing better and better now."

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Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts
Week Nine - SECC, Glasgow

Raymond van Barneveld v John Part
Terry Jenkins v Wayne Mardle
Jelle Klaasen v Phil Taylor
Mervyn King v James Wade
Live on Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports HD1 from 7pm

Listen to live audio commentary and see match highlights in PDCtv - click here for PDCtv

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