Florian Hempel will renew his rivalry with Dimitri Van den Bergh on the sport’s biggest stage, courtesy of an impressive comeback victory against Irish debutant Dylan Slevin.
SENSATIONAL FROM SLEVIN! 💥
Dylan Slevin produces a moment of magic to send the Ally Pally crowd wild!
The young Irishman produces a stunning 167 finish – the highest checkout of the tournament so far – to draw first blood in set two!
📺 https://t.co/f3RU9WTIoD#WCDarts | R1 pic.twitter.com/vI9VSPZsuj
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 17, 2023
Following a tentative start to the contest, a superb 167 checkout from Slevin in set two sparked both players into life, but it was Hempel who ran out a 3-1 winner with five 180s and a 91 average.
Niels Zonneveld defied some late finishing-line nerves to secure his first victory at the World Championship, closing out a hard-fought 3-1 win against two-time quarter-finalist Darren Webster.
Webster recovered from a nightmare start to threaten an unlikely comeback, only to squander six darts to force a decider in a dramatic conclusion to the contest.
Meanwhile, Jim Williams won nine consecutive legs in breezing past Guyana’s Norman Madhoo, wrapping up proceedings with an 11-darter to set up a second round tie against two-time winner Peter Wright.
The Paddy Power World Darts Championship continues on Monday evening, as 2021 champion Gerwyn Price kicks off his campaign against Connor Scutt.
Elsewhere, World Youth Championship runner-up Gian van Veen faces Hong Kong’s Man Lok Leung, while Thibault Tricole will make history as the first French player to compete in the sport’s showpiece event.
2023/24 Paddy Power World Darts Championship
Sunday December 17
Afternoon Session
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Ricky Evans 3-0 Simon Adams (3-2, 3-0, 3-0) (R1)
Jim Williams 3-0 Norman Madhoo (3-0, 3-0, 3-0) (R1)
Matt Campbell 3-2 Lourence Ilagan (3-1, 3-1, 2-3, 2-3, 3-0) (R1)
Joe Cullen 3-0 Darren Penhall (3-1, 3-2, 3-1) (R2)
Evening Session
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Florian Hempel 3-1 Dylan Slevin (1-3, 3-2, 3-2, 3-1) (R1)
Niels Zonneveld 3-1 Darren Webster (3-0, 3-2, 2-3, 3-2) (R1)
Jermaine Wattimena 3-1 Fallon Sherrock (2-3, 3-1, 3-0, 3-2) (R1)
Luke Humphries 3-0 Lee Evans (3-1, 3-2, 3-2) (R2)
Monday December 18 (1900 GMT)
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Mario Vandenbogaerde v Thibault Tricole (R1)
Gian van Veen v Man Lok Leung (R1)
Martin Lukeman v Haupai Puha (R1)
Gerwyn Price v Connor Scutt (R2)
