Image source, Getty Images

Next up inside Alexandra Palace is a meeting between Latvian Madars Razma and Christian Kist of the Netherlands.

A year ago, Razma was the 32nd seed at the World Darts Championships and made the third round, where he was beaten by then defending World Champion Michael Smith. On his way to the third round, he beat current World Grand Prix champion Mike De Decker.

Christian Kist sits 102nd in the PDC Order of Merit, 58 places below Razma. The Dutchman is at his sixth World Championship, but has only made it past the first round once, which happened in 2016.

The winner of this first round clash will face Dirk van Duijvenbode in the second round on Sunday afternoon.

Darts-playing youngsters at junior acadmies have doubled in numbers after the success of the sport's teenage sensation Luke Littler.

Littler made it to the PDC World Championship final in January, which saw both online interest in the game soar and him crowned BBC's Young Sports Personality of the Year 2024 on Tuesday night.

Social media influencers have also played their part and the Junior Darts Corporation (JDC) in Wales claim darts has become one of the fastest growing sports with children.

Stuart Pyke
Commentator on Sky Sports

Jim Williams is absolutely desolate, He blew it big time but celebration time for Paolo Nebrida, who will take on Ross Smith in round two.

Jim Williams takes a commanding lead with the throw to his advantage in this deciding leg. A 140 leaves him requiring 136 after nine darts.

A 140 from Paolo Nebrida closes the gap, but he's still without a finish.

Williams is treble-less, giving himself three darts at 78 for the match, with Nebrida waiting on 96.

Singles on one, 19 and 16 from Williams give Nebrida the chance to steal it.

Treble 20, a bend of the double 18 wire and now, a dart inside the wire, Nebrida has taken the match when it really should have been Williams'.

Nebrida, of the Phillipines, starts the night with a big upset and will now face Ross Smith in the second round.

Paolo Nebrida has the throw and has to hold to take the match to a deciding leg.

Jim Williams comes in clutch with a 180 to give him six darts at 157.

A 97 from him puts him in control and with Nebrida waiting on 115, Williams gives himself two darts at tops, but misses both.

Nebrida is back on 115 and goes treble 20, single 15, but misses double 20.

Williams gets three darts to take out 20, but misses three more darts for the match.

Nebrida is invited back to finish off double 20. A miss and a hit, Nebrida takes this match to a deciding leg!

Williams has missed five match darts already...

Jim Williams and Paolo Nebrida exchange 140s in this leg and what has been a tight and slow match, largely due to Nebrida's speed, Williams is in need of a hold of throw.

After 12 darts, the Welshman is a double 12 away from regaining the lead.

Williams gets six darts to do it. With his second, he takes it out.

Image source, Simon O'Connor/PDC

After four leg defeats in a row, Paolo Nebrida needs to find some inspiration.

In the second leg of this deciding set, he takes control and with 121 required, Nebrida finishes off the leg in style on double 14.

Two sets all. One leg all. It is anyone's game!

Stuart Pyke
Commentator on Sky Sports

It could be a case of darting deja vu for Paolo Nebrida.

Jim Williams' average after four sets is just above 95, while Paolo Nebrida is almost 10 points back.

Interestingly, neither of them have won a set when they have started it with the throw. Williams has to end that streak here.

A 140, with Nebrida a way back, gives him six darts to take out 107.

The first three leave 52 and in two more, Williams finishes off the leg on double 16.

First round - Best of five sets

Second round - Best of five sets

Third round - Best of seven sets

Fourth round - Best of seven sets

Quarter-finals - Best of nine sets

Semi-finals - Best of 11 sets

Final - Best of 13 sets

Tie-breaks

First-round matches will not have a tie-break; if the fifth set reaches 2-2 in legs, then the fifth leg will be sudden death. In this case, Jim Williams would have the darts.

From the second round onwards, there will be a tie-break in all matches where a deciding set must be won by two clear legs. If the score in the final set reaches 5-5 then a sudden-death leg will be played. There would be no throw for the bull in any sudden-death legs.

• World Championship schedule, results, draw, forrmat

Like he did in the second set, Jim Williams has taken full control in the fourth.

Two 180s from him put him in control for another break of throw and a fourth set whitewash.

Three darts to take out 44, Williams does it in two on double 16.

We're going to a deciding set!

Paolo Nebrida gets some of Jim Williams' earlier misfortune, also getting a bounce out after two treble 20s.

Williams gets six darts with 127 left. After two, he is set up with a bull finish, but he goes safe and lays up 32, knowing he will get three darts at it.

A brief hand up to the crowd in acknowledgement of going safe, Williams takes out double eight for the leg.

Jim Williams has the disadvantage of not starting this set with the darts, a set he has to win to stay in the 2025 PDC World Darts Championships.

A 180 helps his cause and on 121, Williams goes fractionally high on the bull for what would have been a break of throw.

Paolo Nebrida misses double 16 on his attempt to see of 72 and with his second attempt, Williams finds double eight for the leg.

Paolo Nebrida is throwing for the second set and after Jim Williams' 158, Nebrida gets six darts at 160.

Nebrida nails the two treble 20s before fractionally going high on double 20.

He's back for three more goes at at it. One too high, one too low and another wide on double 10.

Williams allows Nebrida another chance, with "The Pal" taking it in one dart on the 10s for a 2-1 set lead.

Needing three straight leg wins for the set, Jim Williams is dealt another bounce out after two darts in treble 20.

He remains in a commanding position to break throw after some lower scoring from Paolo Nebrida.

A treble-less visit from Williams would have given Nebrida way a back in the leg, had Nebrida not ended on a bogey score of 172.

Williams gets the first sight of a finish on 158. Treble 20, treble 20, long pause and encouragement from the crowd... treble 19.

An excellent out!

Image source, Simon O'Connor/PDC

Paolo Nebrida leaves himself 161 to hold throw and double his lead in the set.

A single two opens the door for Jim Williams, who goes treble-less on 121.

Back with 79, Nebrida takes it out on double 20 to hold his throw.

We asked who was most deserving of a Sports Personality nomination - Luke Litter (who was runner-up for the main award) or Luke Humphries, who was not shortlisted.

After that last set, Paolo Nebrida knows he needs to find another gear.

A 140 puts him in a good position to break throw in the opening leg of the third set, with three darts at 106.

His first attempt gets him down to 48, but a treble one for Jim Williams on 130 gives Nebrida a reprieve.

Two singles leave a dart at double eight, which he takes out for a break of throw.

Jim Williams completely bossed that second set and his average for the match is now up at 91.46.

Paolo Nebrida's has dropped to 82.84, almost 10 points behind his Welsh opponent.

Based off that, you would not think that this match is level in sets!