Scott Waites eyes second Grand Slam

Grand Slam champion Scott Waites insists he won't feel the heat when he returns to Wolverhampton to defend his title later this year.

Waites was back in the West Midlands at the Hatherton Country House Hotel, Penkridge, for a darts exhibition with the proceeds going to the Midlands Air Ambulance.

'Scotty 2 Hotty' was joined by Terry 'the Bull' Jenkins, who himself came close to winning the Grand Slam in 2008, losing in the final to Phil 'the Power' Taylor.

It was Waites who broke Taylor's three year – from its inception – stranglehold on the tournament last year and Friday night was the first time he had played in the West Midlands since.

The Grand Slam returns at Wolverhampton Civic Hall in November but Waites, who came from 8-0 down to beat James Wade in the final last year, believes a cool head is the best approach.

He said: "It was the biggest night of my life, to be so far down and then come back to win, I couldn't believe it.

"I am looking forward to the next one, I am going in there as the reigning champion and I am sure there will be a massive target on my back.

"I will get there and try to work on that and, to be honest, I don't think there will be a lot of pressure on me.

"I am not bothered, I go there to play darts. If I have a good game and I lose, then so be it.

"I will come back next year and have another go."

Jenkins is the 'nearly man' of darts, having lost seven major PDC televised finals in the last five years.

In the Grand Slam, losing at the last hurdle to Taylor preceded a loss in the semi-finals to Waites in 2009 before Wade, on the way to the final, beat him in the quarter-finals last year.

But Waites had to knock on the door before it opened and that is an example to follow, according to Jenkins.

He said: "It's a lottery who is going to win and it's the width of the wire, all I have tried to do is keep doing well. If one comes along, fair enough.

"It would be nice to win one and I am always trying my guts out to try and get there, that's the main thing.

"Every time I go into a competition, I think I can win it."