Phil Taylor to Retire from Darts After 2017 Season: Latest Comments, Reaction

Darts legend Phil Taylor officially announced Friday he will retire from the sport at the end of the 2017 season.

The Power made the announcement ahead of his first match of the season, a 10-6 win over Michael Smith at the Unibet Masters, via PDC Darts:

The 56-year-old is widely considered the greatest player in the history of darts, having won 14 world championships in the PDC and two in the BDO. 

He dominated the PDC for years, winning every world title between 1995 and 2002. Even in the last decade, following the emergence of new stars like Michael van Gerwen and Gary Anderson, The Power has maintained a high level of play to remain a fixture in the PDC top 10.

The 2016 season was not a great one for Taylor, and rumours of a possible retirement have been swirling for years. According to sports reporter Laure James, he will leave a remarkable legacy:

Taylor will have the chance to say goodbye to some of the iconic venues of the sport in 2017, culminating at the Alexandra Palace in London for the World Championship.