Grand Slam of Darts 2013: Ranking Top Contenders Based on Early Group Action

Tuesday evening will bring an end to the group stage of this year's Grand Slam of Darts at Wolverhampton Civic Hall, where only a few places remain for the second round.

Having said that, some stars have already booked their seats in the next phase of the competition and are in the kind of form one wouldn't bet against challenging for the title.

Looking ahead to the coming round of fixtures and considering the form these titans have been in so far in the tournament, I have graded each Grand Slam hopeful who has stood out in the early phases. 

Simon Whitlock

Grade: A

Simon Whitlock hasn't reached his best form so far this year, but the 2012 European champion has done well to revive good form in time to top Group G at the Grand Slam.

With Wes Newton and Mark Webster also on four points apiece, the pool was decided by the finest of margins, and those two would eventually face off in a nine-dart shootout that "The Wizard" managed to evade.

Awaiting Whitlock in the second round is Ted Hankey, but considering the Australian has the second-highest three-dart average in the tournament so far (101.13), the man from Down Under should be capable of rising to the challenge and booking a quarter-final place.

Scott Waites

Grade: A-

"Inconsistency" isn't a word that factors into Scott Waites' vocabulary right now, as he is the only player to have claimed three wins from his three group games (prior to Tuesday's matchups).

Having said that, the 36-year-old has been quite fortunate in terms of the opponents drawn against him in Group H, with world No. 7 Dave Chisnall being his biggest threat.

In his three wins, Waites has managed a three-dart average of just 90.61, only good enough for eighth-worst in the tournament thus far.

Nevertheless, "Scotty 2 Hotty" has been a bulldozer in his Grand Slam of Darts openers, only giving up six legs along the way.

Phil Taylor

Grade: A+

The evergreen Phil Taylor has unsurprisingly opened his Grand Slam of Darts with a flourish, and although there's still another fixture to play on Tuesday night, the legend is already in good shape to claim this year's crown.

In his first two matches, the Stoke native is streaks ahead in his three-dart average, which currently stands at 108.34 and even went as high as 112.16 in the 5-0 mauling of Stuart Kellett.

World No. 20 Paul Nicholson is by no means a pushover, but Taylor would have told you different, beating the British-born Aussie 5-1 over the weekend.

Tony O'Shea

Grade: B+

Tony O'Shea was pitted in a tough group against defending champions Raymond van Barneveld and Mervyn King, and not all might have predicted Tony O'Shea coming out on top of Group E.

However, with wins over Ricky Evans and The King, the 52-year-old has proved he's still ready to duel with the best.

Currently fourth in the world rankings, Andy Hamilton comes O'Shea's way next, and if Justin Pipe has already shown up Hamilton once in the past week, "Silverback" should be capable of the same feat.