Dutch darts legend Raymond van Barneveld commenced his quest for the 2024 PDC title with a convincing 3-1 victory over Poland's Radek Szaganski. Van Barneveld, a five-time world champion, expressed satisfaction with his performance, particularly highlighting his strong finishing in the last leg. The 56-year-old will face Wales' Jim Williams in the third round, who ousted two-time champion Peter Wright earlier in the competition.
In other matches, Masters champion Chris Dobey, seeded 17th, narrowly defeated Republic of Ireland's William O'Connor in a thrilling encounter. Dobey showcased impressive form with 10 180s and an average of 103, securing a 3-2 win and setting up a last-32 clash with English compatriot Ross Smith. The tournament, held at London's Alexandra Palace, will take a Christmas break after the second round concludes on Saturday.
Northern Ireland's Brendan Dolan secured his spot in the third round with a sudden-death decider against compatriot Mickey Mansell. The closely contested match, featuring nine 180s between them, resulted in the first tie-break of the tournament.
Dolan demonstrated composure, hitting a double 16 to advance and will face 2021 champion Gerwyn Price in the next round. Meanwhile, Germany's Florian Hempel mounted an impressive comeback from two sets down, including a crucial 151 checkout, to defeat Belgium's Dimitri van den Bergh 3-2.
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