There must have been a moment where Phil Taylor wondered if he would get on the scoreboard in his last ever World Championship final.
After three sets against Alexandra Palace debutant Rob Cross, the 16-time world champion trailed 3-0. The 57-year-old surely felt a modicum of relief when he finally won a set against the man 30 years his junior.
Taylor is a divisive figure at the best of times. He is undoubtedly darts' greatest ever player but he also has a level of arrogance to match.
After he won the fourth set on New Year's Day, Taylor paused as he strode off the stage. He had a message for someone in the crowd: it was his middle finger.
Taylor would go on to win just one more set as Cross, who just turned professional last year, claimed the world title and the £400,000 prize money in a 7-2 victory.
