Jeffrey de Zwaan, against the darts, starts off the second set with his third 180 of the match.

Florian Hempel is down at a finish first, but De Zwaan is waiting on a two-dart out.

Hempel does not take out 154, and after picking out treble 18, De Zwaan misses two at double 18.

Hempel takes double 20 for the leg.

That opening set felt very quick. The pace of play and standard of scoring has made it a joy to watch.

Florian Hempel is currently averaging 104.63, with Jeffrey de Zwaan at 103.58.

Already, we have had five 180s in the match after just four legs!

The standard of scoring in this first set has been excellent from both men.

That last match feels like a lifetime ago!

Jeffrey de Zwaan strays a dart into treble four, giving Florian Hempel three to take the set on 40.

Missed doubles on 20 and 10 set up double seven, which Hempel pins for a brilliant set win.

For a third leg in a row, Florian Hempel scores a 180 and in doing so, gets three darts at double 18 for a break of throw.

He only needs one, though. The German leads.

In back-to-back legs, we have consecutive 180s!

Florian Hempel starts the leg with one and again, Jeffrey de Zwaan meets him.

De Zwaan misses bull for a 12-dart break of throw and Hempel, on double 20, holds in 14.

It is raining 180s!

Florian Hempel starts his evening with a maximum, while Jeffrey de Zwaan responds with one of his own.

Hempel gets the chance to finish first, but is left at 167 that is unsuccessful.

De Zwaan's first chance is at 92, where he tees up tops.

Hempel is a missed double 16 away from a 107 finish, with De Zwaan holding throw on double 20.

The German spectators inside Alexandra Palace are loving Florian Hempel's walk-on song and sing along to it, while Jeffrey de Zwaan goes old school with the brilliant "Could You Be Loved?" by Bob Marley

De Zwaan, nicknamed the Black Cobra, will get this match under way.

Game on!

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The second match of the evening is an all-European clash between Germany's Florian Hempel and Jeffrey de Zwaan of the Netherlands.

Hempel is ranked 53rd in PDC's Order of Merit, 21 places above De Zwaan. The 34-year-old has made the third round in 2022 and 2024 in this competition.

De Zwaan has gone one step further than Hempel, making the last 16 in 2020 where he lost to two-time world champion Peter Wright. De Zwaan returns to the Alexandra Palace after failing to qualify in each of the previous three editions.

The winner will face 26th seed Daryl Gurney, from Northern Ireland, in the second round.

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Neither men scored particularly well in terms of averages, but Mickey Mansell will not care. The main thing is, he is through to the second round.

Mansell averaged 81.34 in that match, while Tomoya Goto was actually ahead on 82.22.

The Northern Irishman took 11 of his 21 darts at doubles, finishing well at 52.4% to set up a meeting with Jonny Clayton.

Goto had 23 double chances, landing eight of them.

Like the last set, it is match v survival for Mickey Mansell and Tomoya Goto in this match.

Goto is down to a finish first but needs 147.

A good visit from Mansell, who scores 138 to leave 84, which he will come back for to win the match.

A single 20 sends him aiming for treble 14, but he lands one in treble nine and cannot hide his anguish.

Goto needs 90 to level the match. 20 and 20 leaves bull.

Does he take it? Nope, not even in the 25.

Mansell needs double 10, which he lands in one dart for the match.

Cue big celebrations. Mansell made tough work of that in the end, but is through to the second round.

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The fourth leg of the fourth set starts with four straight 140s, two each from Tomoya Goto and Mickey Mansell.

A hat-trick of them from Goto leaves him on 81 after nine darts, with Mansell waiting on 136.

On his throw, Goto finds treble 10 and single 19, but goes wide at double 16.

For the match, Mansell has 136. Treble 20 is met with singles at 20 and seven.

Goto is back to stay in the match, taking out 32 in one dart.

A third set out of four with a deciding leg.

Breaking that duck has come at a great time for Mickey Mansell.

But just as Mansell showed some promise, Tomoya Goto lands 177 to set up a double 20 finish.

Goto gets three chances to break Mansell's throw once more. The first two are good markers and the third dart ends up low.

Mansell is on 80. Single 20, single 20 and a tops checkout moves him within a leg of the second round.

On his throw, Tomoya Goto gets down to a finish first, but his 161 shot has to be good, with Mickey Mansell waiting on 136.

Goto salvages the visit with a last dart treble 18, but will get back to try and see off 84.

He sets up another chance at a bull finish, but like all of his others so far tonight, Goto misses.

Mansell is back for 91. 10, treble 19 and double 12 take it out and Mansell breaks back.

Both Mickey Mansell and Tomoya Goto are currently averaging around the 80 mark. Hardly a scoring spectacle at the Alexandra Palace.

Goto knows Mansell has dropped off a lot in the last set or so and a 140 gives him at least six darts at 80 for a break of throw and take advantage of Mansell's slump.

The first three end with a missed double 20 attempt, but Goto does take the leg at the third time of asking.

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Tomoya Goto starts the leg with the throw. A win for him gives him the set, a win for Mickey Mansell gives him the match.

A brilliant 134, courtesy of two treble 19s, gives Goto six darts at 122 for the set.

With the first three, Goto leaves himself needing double 16 to get a set back on Mansell.

The first bends the wire and the second finds the green bit.

On we go!

Mickey Mansell has the darts and the ability to take the third set to a deciding leg.

Mansell's scoring allows him six darts at 161 in what has been a pretty shoddy leg from him and Tomoya Goto.

With the sixth, he misses double 20 to level the set.

Mansell comes back for three more darts at 40. He goes low on double 20 and aiming for double 10, picks out double 15 and busts.

Goto gets a chance at 87, but misses bull once more.

Mansell gets another three and down at double 10, levels the set.

A 140 from Mickey Mansell comes at a time where he needs to win three straight legs to avoid dropping a set.

Against the throw, a 140 helps Mansell's cause.

Tomoya Goto is stuck at 172, so Mansell gets six darts to take out 178. A 98 from Mansell leaves 80.

20, 20, double five!

Goto is back needing 72 for the set. He strays into five and a 17 leaves bull, which Goto misses completely.

Mansell takes out 30 on double five to break back.

Far too many darts are going into the fives and ones for Mickey Mansell's liking.

On his throw, he scores 25 and Tomoya Goto replies with a brilliant 180.

Goto gets down to 106 after four treble 20s in a row and will have at least six darts to take it out. The first three score 98 to leave double four.

He goes low at the fours but takes out double two. A 2-0 lead in this set for Goto and a break of throw.

Mansell is currently averaging 67 in this set.

An early 140 from Mickey Mansell puts further pressure on Tomoya Goto, who needs to win three sets in a row to advance.

Mansell gets down to a finish first, giving himself three darts at 138 to break Goto's throw.

The first three leave 80 for Mansell, with Goto's 149 chance that follows ending with a first dart in single one.

A stray one from Mansell gives Goto a chance and he takes it, finishing off 74 on double 10.

Mickey Mansell has had identical averages across the two sets so far, staying at a rate of 89.56.

Tomoya Goto's is up to an improved 81.44, but as it stands, he is heading for a first-round exit this evening.

Goto does have the throw for the start of the third set though...

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