Gerwyn Price insists he has a point to prove to himself after opening his bid for a second Paddy Power World Darts Championship title with victory over Keane Barry on Monday evening.
Day Two of the sport's flagship event saw two second-round ties and six first-round matches take place across a bumper double session, as 2020/21 World Champion Price took centre stage at Alexandra Palace.
Price – one of eight World Champions in this year’s field – eased through to the third round with a routine straight-sets success against Barry, conceding just two legs in the process.
The Irishman impressed in his first round victory over Kim Huybrechts on Sunday evening, although he endured a doubling disaster against Price, missing 22 of his 24 darts at a double.
“I know how well I can play. I just want to prove to myself that I’ve still got it,” claimed Price, who will play Joe Cullen, Wessel Nijman or Cameron Carolissen after the Christmas break.
“I have given myself a boost of confidence with the way I’ve played in exhibitions over the last few weeks, but this is where I want to perform, on the biggest stages in the biggest events.
“I put myself under a lot of pressure tonight because I wanted to go home and enjoy Christmas with a win, and this is where the tournament really starts for me.”
However, while Price powered through, four-time semi-finalist James Wade was sent packing by an impressive Jermaine Wattimena, who insists he can create some personal history after maintaining his fine form in the capital.
Wattimena punished a profligate display from Wade to progress, averaging 99.17 and pinning nine of his 18 attempts at double to triumph.
“I believe I can beat anyone at the moment, so I think I can create some history,” reflected the European Championship runner-up, who has never been beyond the last 32 at Alexandra Palace.
“I have been playing really well over the last few months, and mentally I think I am a lot stronger than I was a few years ago.
“I am over the moon with my performance. It was a good day for me, so I am more than happy!”
Connor Scutt will play Australian number one Damon Heta for a place in round three, after producing the performance of the tournament so far to sweep aside Ben Robb in straight sets.
Challenge Tour star Scutt averaged almost 102 to topple the New Zealander, converting a brace of ton-plus checkouts and pinning 56% of his doubles to move through to a meeting with Heta.
“Me and Damon have been practice partners over the last few weeks," revealed Scutt – a quarter-finalist at last month’s Players Championship Finals.
“It should be a great game. It will be nice to play a friendly face up there.
“I just love playing up on that stage. I have learnt an awful lot from my last two [televised] tournaments, and hopefully I can build on that here.”
Elsewhere, Leonard Gates will go head-to-head with Nathan Aspinall on Wednesday evening, courtesy of a 3-1 success against Scottish star Cameron Menzies.
Gates - the reigning CDC Continental Cup champion – landed 120, 136 and a match-winning 122 checkout to move through against a visibly emotional Menzies.
Luke Woodhouse will lock horns with World Grand Prix champion Mike De Decker on Tuesday afternoon, after kicking off his campaign with a 3-0 thumping of Lourence Ilagan.
Woodhouse was clinical in the early stages, winning the opening seven legs without reply, before halting a brief rally from Ilagan midway through set three to wrap up proceedings.
Robert Owen recovered from a sluggish start to see off Niels Zonneveld, landing a brilliant 121 checkout to celebrate his first win on the sport’s biggest stage.
The Welshman defied an early barrage from Zonneveld to reel off three straight sets, and his reward is an intriguing second round tussle against former semi-finalist Gabriel Clemens.
Kai Gotthardt enjoyed an eventful Alexandra Palace debut, remarkably snapping his dart in the opening set of his tie against Alan Soutar, before going on to complete a fine comeback victory.
Gotthardt – a winner of the PDC Europe Super League in November – outscored the Scot for large periods, reeling off seven consecutive legs on his way to victory.
Wesley Plaisier also prevailed on his World Championship bow, after coming through a five-set marathon against Japan’s Ryusei Azemoto in Monday’s opener.
Plaisier – a winner on the Players Championship circuit in October – won six straight legs from 2-1 adrift to set up a meeting with two-time World Champion Peter Wright in round two.
Wright will headline Tuesday’s double-session in north London, as he takes centre stage alongside Belgian number two De Decker.
Fallon Sherrock also gets her fifth World Championship campaign underway, as she plays Ryan Meikle for the right to take on Luke Littler in the second round.
Click here for match stats & results.
2024/25 Paddy Power World Darts Championship
Monday December 16
Afternoon Session
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Wesley Plaisier 3-2 Ryusei Azemoto (1-3, 3-2, 1-3, 3-1, 3-0) (R1)
Luke Woodhouse 3-0 Lourence Ilagan (3-0, 3-0, 3-2) (R1)
Kai Gotthardt 3-1 Alan Soutar (2-3, 3-1, 3-0, 3-2) (R1)
Jermaine Wattimena 3-0 James Wade (3-1, 3-0, 3-1) (R2)
Evening Session
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Robert Owen 3-1 Niels Zonneveld (0-3, 3-2, 3-1, 3-2) (R1)
Connor Scutt 3-0 Ben Robb (3-0, 3-1, 3-0) (R1)
Leonard Gates 3-1 Cameron Menzies (3-0, 2-3, 3-0, 3-2) (R1)
Gerwyn Price 3-0 Keane Barry (3-0, 3-1, 3-1) (R2)
Tuesday December 17
Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
James Hurrell v Jim Long (R1)
Kevin Doets v Noa-Lynn van Leuven (R1)
Ryan Joyce v Darius Labanauskas (R1)
Mike De Decker v Luke Woodhouse (R2)
Evening Session (1900 GMT)
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Jeffrey de Graaf v Rashad Sweeting (R1)
Ricardo Pietreczko v Xiaochen Zong (R1)
Ryan Meikle v Fallon Sherrock (R1)
Peter Wright v Wesley Plaisier (R2)