Darts: Phil Taylor rejects retirement to swell mother's pride

Taylor won his 16th world title on Tuesday night, beating Michael van Gerwen

'It's what I do,' Phil Taylor said of his comeback to win a 16th title (Getty Images)

Phil Taylor has revealed one of the secrets of his relentless darting success: maternal pressure.

Taylor won his 16th world title on Tuesday night, beating Michael van Gerwen 7-4 in the final at Alexandra Palace. But Taylor said his mother would be angry with him for letting the game go so close.

"It is my mother," the 52-year-old said. "She tells me off and will hit me with a bucket and her walking stick when I get back for losing four sets. She will be saying 'what are you doing losing four sets to him?'"

Taylor fought back from 2-0 and 4-2 down but said those comebacks were in his nature. "It is what I do," he said. "It is in you. It is like asking Roy Keane. It is just what you are, I want to win."

"I was hanging in and hanging in. I felt like Rocky, I was Sylvester Stallone, I thought about it and I was knocked down about six times and I got up again. But I thought to myself 'I am Phil Taylor and I can win this'."

Taylor insisted that he would be back to fight for a 17th world title next Christmas. "I could retire," he said. "But no. I am 53 in August and I am going to go until I am 55 at least."

"I can win more of these titles. Can I win 20? I would, because the prize money is going up! The money is nice because your grandkids are out there, your family is out there and you want to keep going."