Question: Michael van Gerwen had his breakthrough year in 2012 in which he defeated this defending champion.
Context: James Wade (born 6 April 1983 in Aldershot, Hampshire) is an English professional darts player, currently playing in the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC).  He became the youngest player to win a major PDC title at the World Matchplay in 2007, at the age of 24.  This record was broken when Michael van Gerwen won the 2012 World Grand Prix at the age of 23. Kim Huybrechts (born 16 November 1985) is a Belgian professional darts player currently playing in Professional Darts Corporation events.  He made the final of a major tv event, the 2012 Players Championship Finals, losing to Phil Taylor 13-6, as well as making the final of the 2013 PDC World Cup of Darts with his brother Ronny.  He has also achieved the perfect Nine-dart finish on TV, he did so in the 2014 Grand Slam of Darts against Michael van Gerwen in the quarter-finals, and has appeared in the Premier League on 2 occasions. At the 2012 BNP Paribas Open – Women's Singles, played at Indian Wells, California in March 2012, the defending champion Caroline Wozniacki lost to Ana Ivanovic in the fourth round, the second consecutive year Ivanovic had knocked out the defending champion.  World No. 1 Victoria Azarenka won her first Indian Wells Title by beating World No. 2 Maria Sharapova 6–2 6–3 in the final. The 1879 Men's tennis season was composed of the third annual pre-open era tour.  It now incorporated 12 tournaments staged in Australia and Great Britain and Ireland.  The 1879 Wimbledon Championships was won by John Hartley defending champion Patrick Francis Hadow, defending champion could not participate in the Challenge Round.  This year saw the innugrial Irish Championships that in its early stages of development was considered as important that of the Wimbledon Championships the event was won by Vere St. Leger Goold who defeated in Charles David Barry in the final by Charles David Barry 8-6, 8-6.  Important this year was the staging now of three hard court tournaments namely the Dublin University LT Championships the East Gloucestershire Championships held in Cheltenham Great Britain.  and the first tournament to be held outside of Europe in Australia with the Victorian Championships. The World Darts Federation recognise many darts tournaments each year including major titles such as the Lakeside World Professional Championship and the Winmau World Masters.  Through 2007, the WDF had held four majors which constituted the Grand Slam, until the Topic International Darts League and Bavaria World Darts Trophy were cancelled in 2008 following the withdrawal of the Dutch broadcasters SBS 6, when it was announced that PDC players, including Raymond van Barneveld, Jelle Klaasen, and Michael van Gerwen would not be competing. Michael van Gerwen (] ; born 25 April 1989) is a Dutch professional darts player.  He is the reigning PDC World Champion and currently ranked world number one.  He began playing darts at the age of 13 and had won the World Masters and thrown a televised nine-dart finish within four years, becoming the youngest player to do either.  However, after this initial burst onto the darting scene, Van Gerwen struggled for consistent form until his breakthrough year in 2012.  Going from world number 38 at the start of 2012 to number four at the beginning of 2013, the year included his first major PDC title at the Grand Prix and a final at the 2013 World Championship.  In 2014, at the age of 24, Van Gerwen became the youngest winner of the PDC World Championship. The 2016 Champions League of Darts, also known as the Unibet Champions League of Darts for sponsorship purposes, was the inaugural staging of the tournament, organised by the Professional Darts Corporation.  It took place from 24–25 September 2016 at the Motorpoint Arena Cardiff.  Phil Taylor won, defeating Michael van Gerwen 11–5 in the final. The 2012 Grand Slam of Darts, also known as the William Hill Grand Slam of Darts for sponsorship purposes, was the sixth staging of the tournament, organised by the Professional Darts Corporation.  The event took place from 10–18 November 2012 at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall.  Phil Taylor was the defending champion, but was beaten in the Last 16 by Michael van Gerwen, who went on to make the final, but lost 16–14 to Raymond van Barneveld. The Thomas Cup competition is an international team tournament for supremacy in men's badminton (its female counterpart is the Uber Cup).  Beginning in 1948-1949 it was held every three years until 1982 and thereafter it has been held every two years.  Twenty-six national teams, each (except the defending champion nation) starting from one of four qualifying zones (Asia, Australasia, Europe, and Pan America), vied for the Thomas Cup during the 1963-1964 badminton season.  Qualifying zone winners played-off in Tokyo, Japan for the right to face defending champion Indonesia, which was exempt from earlier "ties" (team matches), in a conclusive challenge round tie.  Prior to 1964 the defending champion nation had regularly hosted both the inter-zone playoffs and the challenge round, but a rules change effective that year prevented the same defending champion nation from having this advantage for two successive Thomas Cup seasons.  For a more detailed description of the Thomas Cup format see Wikipedia's general article on the Thomas Cup. Michael Wendler (born 22 June 1972 in Dinslaken as Michael Skowronek, legal name after his marriage in 2009 Michael Norberg) is a prominent and distinguished German pop singer and songwriter.  Since his breakthrough year in 1998, he has won several awards such as the prestigious Crown of the Folk Music[16] and Smgo!  Award in 2012 and Most Successful Pop Star of the Year and as Median Star of Year in 2014.  He has been under contract with Sony Entertainment Record Label for many years and has a total of six gold Records and one platinum.  Wendler also writes songs and lyrics for other Schlager singers under the pseudonym Mic Skowy.
Answer: Phil Taylor