Second seed Smith knocked out of Worlds by Doets

Michael Smith was 2-1 ahead but fell to a shock exit

Former champion Michael Smith has been sensationally knocked out of the PDC World Championship by Kevin Doets.

Englishman Smith, seeded second, went down 3-2 after a pulsating second-round duel at Alexandra Palace in London.

Dutchman Doets prevailed 6-4 in the deciding set, despite checkouts of 123, 84, 94 and 76 from 2023 champion Smith.

"This was the most stressful game of my life and I've won it, yes," said world number 51 Doets.

"I felt if I can keep my focus, I won't lose this. It was so very tight, to get over the line was amazing."

Doets, 26, took the first set and fought back after going 2-1 down to avenge his narrow defeat to Smith at the same stage last year.

Having lost in the second round of the tournament for the first time since 2020, the 34-year-old Smith will now drop to at least 15 in the rankings.

Doets won in the first round against Noa-Lynn van Leuven, who was the first transgender woman to play in the tournament

England's Scott Williams, who made a shock run to the semi-finals in the 2024 tournament before losing to eventual champion Luke Humphries, overcame Niko Springer 3-1 in a thriller.

German debutant Springer, second on this year's development tour, won all three legs in the opening set before the match exploded into life.

Williams hit back, showing his old swagger as he went ahead after a sensational third set which featured seven 180s.

The 34-year-old edged the deciding leg in the fourth and will meet 2018 champion Rob Cross in round two on Monday.

Nick Kenny delighted the Ally Pally crowd with a fabulous 170 finish to seal a 3-0 victory in round one over American Stowe Buntz.

The Welshman, 31, will face five-time world champion Raymond Barneveld on Saturday evening on a bill which also features teenage star Luke Littler against Ryan Meikle.

Canadian Matt Campbell set up a second-round match against Ryan Searle with a 3-2 defeat of Austrian Mensur Suljovic.

Rydz hits 107 average as Clemens beaten by Owen

Callan Rydz hit 27 100+ scores against Romeo Grbavac, including three 180s

England's Callan Rydz averaged 107.06 to book his place in the second round, before Gabriel Clemens was knocked out by Wales' Robert Owen on Thursday afternoon.

Rydz beat Croatian Romeo Grbavac 3-0, recording the tournament's highest average first-round match average in its current 96-player format.

It was the competition's 26th highest match average overall and comfortably the best so far at the 2025 event.

The previous record was held by teenager Luke Littler, who scored 106.12 at this stage last year.

Rydz, from Bedlington in Northumberland, meets Germany's Martin Schindler in the second round on Sunday evening.

The afternoon session concluded with Germany's 27th seed Clemens being beaten by Owen, who is ranked 50 places below him.

Owen recorded a 3-1 victory, his second in a matter of days, to reach the third round, which begins on 27 December.

Hong Kong's Lok Yin Lee came from a set down to beat Chris Landman 3-1 after winning nine straight legs.

Lee will face Northern Ireland's Brendan Dolan in round two on Saturday afternoon.

Meanwhile, 2024 Grand Slam of Darts runner-up Martin Lukeman came from a set down to beat Indian qualifier Nitin Kumar 3-1.

Lukeman meets 21st seed Andrew Gilding on Monday afternoon for a place in the last 32.

Thursday afternoon's results

First round

Chris Landman 1-3 Lok Yin Lee

Callan Rydz 3-0 Romeo Grbavac

Martin Lukeman 3-1 Nitin Kumar

Second round

Gabriel Clemens 1-3 Robert Owen

Thursday evening's results

First round

Nick Kenny 3-0 Stowe Buntz

Mensur Suljovic 2-3 Matt Campbell

Scott Williams 3-1 Niko Springer

Second round

Michael Smith 2-3 Kevin Doets

Friday's schedule

All times GMT

Afternoon Session (12:30)

First round

Stephen Burton v Alexander Merkx

Wessel Nijman v Cameron Carolissen

Ian White v Sandro Eric Sosing

Second round

Stephen Bunting v Kai Gotthardt

Evening Session (19:00)

First round

Mickey Mansell v Tomoya Goto

Florian Hempel v Jeffrey de Zwaan

William O'Connor v Dylan Slevin

Second round

Michael van Gerwen v James Hurrell