WHITLOCK OUT TO RETAIN PARTYPOKER.NET EUROPEAN DARTS CHAMPIONSHIP CROWN

SIMON WHITLOCK will begin the defence of his partypoker.net European Championship title in Germany on Thursday against Belgium^s Kim Huybrechts, while Phil Taylor meets Vincent van der Voort as the £200,000 event kicks off in Muelheim.

Australian star Whitlock his maiden major at the European Championship last year, when he defeated Wes Newton to claim the £50,000 first prize at the RWE Sporthalle.

The world number five has drawn in-form Belgian Huybrechts as he begins his bid to retain the title on Thursday night in Germany, and admits that it would be his greatest achievement to continue his success in the event this weekend by keeping hold of the crown.

"It was the greatest moment of my career when I won the European Championship last year and it^s given me the hunger to win more major titles," said Whitlock.

"Everyone sets out to win every tournament that they play in and we all know that you can^t win everything, but the feeling I got by winning the European Championship is driving me on.

"It was a brilliant weekend and to win three games on the final day to take the title was a big ask but I managed to do that.

"To win this again would be another massive achievement because the field^s incredibly strong. I^ve got Kim first and he^s been sensational for the last 18 months and deserves to have broken into the world^s top 16 now.

"If I get past him, there^s players like James Wade, Raymond van Barneveld and Phil Taylor in my half of the draw, so even getting close to the final will be tough, but it will be a great event."

Whitlock has won three other ranking tournaments since September^s European Championship success, but said: "The standard^s getting better all the time and it^s crazy now.

"I^ve been playing some of the best darts of my life in recent months and although I^ve won a few tournaments, my results probably don^t reflect how well I feel I^ve played.

"During the Premier League I was really happy with my form but I came up against some players who produced superb performances, and then in the UK Open I was drawn against Wes Newton and he was fantastic.

"It^s a sign of how high the standard is now, and it^s up to me to keep working hard and improving."