World Darts Championship 2026: Gian van Veen, Ricky Evans and Damon Heta progress as seed Ross Smith knocked out

Gian van Veen survived a scare in opposition to Cristo Reyes to choose up a 3-1 win at Alexandra Palace, his first victory within the World Darts Championship on the third time of asking.

World No 7 Van Veen remarkably entered evening two on the Palace with no win on the large stage to his identify having misplaced to Man Lok Leung and Ricardo Pietreczko on his two earlier appearances, however this time he managed to battle to victory.

The Dutchman didn’t have to succeed in notably dizzy heights to wrap up the opening set, his 92.26 common sufficient to maintain Reyes at bay.

The second set was the place Van Veen actually got here into his personal and he confirmed his type of late with a staggering 107 common serving to him to canter 2-0 forward.

Nevertheless, Reyes wouldn’t again down and located a superb 167 checkout on the bullseye, plus two breaks of throw, to get a set on the board earlier than taking the fourth set all the best way, Van Veen ultimately clinching his monumental win on D16.

“Finally across that line! The last few years have been a massive struggle here on this stage but today I felt right at home. Luckily it paid off,” Van Veen instructed Sky Sports activities.

“Two years in the past once I was 2-0 up in opposition to Man Lok Leung and he received 3-2. When Cristo took the third set I went ‘oh no, do not return to 2-2 and get nervy’.

“Luckily, in the last set at 2-1 down I started playing well, so I’m very happy.”

In the meantime, Ross Smith turned the primary seed to tumble at this 12 months’s World Championship as he squandered six match darts in a shock defeat to 50-year-old Swedish debutant Andreas Harrysson.

Smith, seeded twelfth, led 2-1 however didn’t take his probability within the fourth set after combating off the Ally Pally wasp and was punished by Harrysson who received 5 legs in a row on his method to taking the match to a deciding set and successful the fifth set itself.

Evans and Heta present class and showmanship in first-round wins

Ricky Evans put in a stable show to choose up a 3-0 win over Lok Leung within the first spherical.

Lok Leung made his mark on Ally Pally again in 2024 when he beat Van Veen on his debut however couldn’t replicate such a feat on his return.

Evans delighted the group together with his festive walk-on to Shakin’ Stevens’ ‘Merry Christmas Everybody’ after which excited them together with his darts, a sensational 134 checkout the spotlight within the first set as he romped right into a 1-0 lead.

Evans didn’t let his degree drop within the second set, however Lok Leung met him to show it into an actual battle, the Englishman ultimately surviving the scare and pinning tops to maneuver 2-0 forward.

Regardless of Lok Leung breaking the Evans throw to take the third set to a fifth deciding leg, Evans fired in his eleventh 140 on the best way to leaving 84, nailing D12 for the match.

Damon Heta put in a complete show to assert a 3-1 victory over Steve Lennon.

‘The Warmth’ lived as much as his nickname within the opening set as he took all three legs, touchdown silky 144 and 110 checkouts on the best way to the 1-0 lead. Lennon then rallied because the pair shared breaks within the opening legs of the second set however the Aussie got here good with a 100 checkout to seal the deal, placing on a present for the Ally Pally devoted.

Heta’s medical ending show was delivered to a halt as Lennon battled again in a deciding leg to convey the rating line to 2-1 however from there he got here out firing once more to take three legs on the bounce to wrap up the fourth set for victory.

Cross indicators off win with ‘The Large Fish’ as White, Searle make successful begins

Former world champion Rob Cross made a powerful begin his bid for a second world title after thrashing Norway’s Cor Dekker in straight units on Friday afternoon at Alexandra Palace.

The 2018 winner of the Sid Waddell Trophy solely dropped two legs throughout a one-sided contest in opposition to Dekker, who struggled on the outer ring on his World Championship debut.

Cross breezed by the primary set in straight legs and took the second in a final-leg decider, then produced a showstopping end as he closed out victory by nailing the primary ‘Large Fish’ 170 checkout of this 12 months’s match.

“I was a little bit edgy today,” Cross instructed Sky Sports activities. “I thought I was going to come out and be brand new but I wasn’t. I’m really proud of myself. Glad to get through and there’s a lot more in the tank. Lots of fire in the belly. I think I’ll be better in the next game – I’m back!”

‘Voltage’ will subsequent face Ian White, who squandered a two-set lead in opposition to fellow veteran Mervyn King earlier than claiming a dramatic 3-2 victory, whereas Neils Zonneveld arrange a second-round assembly with former world champion Michael Smith after a 3-0 win over Haupai Puha.

The opposite match of the session noticed Ryan Searle thrash Chris Landman in straight units, with ‘Heavy Steel’ – the seventeenth seed – now going through Brendan Dolan or Tavis Dudeney within the subsequent spherical.

What’s subsequent?

Mario Vandenbogaerde faces David Davies within the opening match of Saturday’s afternoon session, dwell from 12.30pm on Sky Sports activities Darts, with reigning world champion Luke Littler awaiting the winner.

Andrew Gilding performs Cam Crabtree, Luke Woodhouse takes on Boris Krcmar and Gary Anderson begins his bid for a 3rd world title in opposition to Adam Hunt, earlier than Luke Humphries headlines the night session from 7pm.

Jeffrey de Graaf is up in opposition to the legendary Paul Lim and Wessel Nijman performs Karel Sedlacek forward of Humphries’ opener with Ted Evetts, whereas the ultimate match sees former semi-finalist Gabriel Clemens face Alex Spellman.

Who will win the Paddy Energy World Darts Championship? Watch each match solely dwell till January 3 on Sky Sports activities’ devoted darts channel (Sky channel 407). Stream darts and extra prime sport with NOW.