Taylor is the current world number one and defending champion

Stoke-on-Trent's Phil Taylor beat local rival Andy Hamilton 10-8 to progress to the quarter-finals of the Grand Slam of Darts on Wednesday night.

The world number one will now meet Australian Simon Whitlock for a place in the semi-finals in Wolverhampton.

"Andy was fantastic and I'm relieved to be through," said Taylor. "Simon Whitlock's a similar player so I've got to dig in and step up a gear."

The result keeps Taylor on course to defend the title he won in 2007.

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