Day Two of the Paddy Power World Darts Championship delivered breakthrough moments, commanding performances, and the tournament’s first major upset, as Gian van Veen, Rob Cross, and debutant Andreas Harrysson booked their places in round two at Alexandra Palace.
European Champion Gian van Veen claimed his maiden victory on the famous stage with a composed 3–1 win over Cristo Reyes. Producing six maximums, the Dutchman surged into a 2–0 lead with a run of clinical legs before weathering a spirited response from Reyes, highlighted by a stunning 167 checkout. Van Veen steadied himself in the closing stages, sealing the win with a 14-darter. “It’s difficult to put this win into words,” he said. “My first win on this stage, it’s phenomenal.” Reflecting on past disappointment, he added, “I’ve been there two years ago when I went 2-0 up and lost 3-2, but luckily this time I got it done.”
Former World Champion Rob Cross followed with an emphatic straight-sets victory over Cor Dekker, punctuating the contest with a brilliant 170 checkout in the final leg. “It’s nice to get through and get myself in this tournament,” Cross admitted, adding, “This is the pinnacle of the game, the World Championship.”
The standout story of the session came from Andreas Harrysson, who stunned 12th seed Ross Smith in a dramatic deciding set. The Swede survived six match darts before forcing a decider, then overcame his own missed chances to complete a remarkable debut win. “I feel fantastic, absolutely fantastic,” Harrysson said. “There was a lot of pressure… Ross Smith’s a great player.”
Elsewhere, Ricky Evans continued his strong Ally Pally record with a whitewash victory, Damon Heta impressed with clinical doubling, and Ryan Searle extended his streak of opening-round wins. Niels Zonneveld and Ian White also advanced, the latter prevailing in a marathon encounter. With heavyweights Gary Anderson and Luke Humphries set to appear next, the championship’s momentum continues to build.
Source: PDC.TV
