World Darts Championship: Michael Smith suffers shock early exit at hands of Kevin Doets

Michael Smith suffered a shock early second-round exit in a 3-2 loss to Kevin Doets in the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace.

The loss knocks 'Bullyboy' out of the world top 10, the 2023 world champion unable to find his A-game in an enthralling contest that went all the way.

With the match level at 2-2 in sets and 2-2 in legs, the drama reached fever pitch with the match needing to be won by two clear legs.

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While Doets' 81 checkout was matched by a 76 from Smith to bring the legs to 3-a-piece, a 94 checkout with two D19s then put Smith a leg away.

However, Doets brought it level at 4-4 in legs once again with a 54 on tops and then took out 90 on the bullseye to throw for the match, pinning D5 and roaring with delight at knocking out the world No 2.

"I cannot describe this," Doets told Sky Sports.

"This game was weird. He took his own set easily, I took mine easy, he took his easily and I took mine easily.

"Then the last set was just incredible.

"Last year I won the bull and he won it 3-2. This year he won the bull and so I thought to myself I'm going to win it 3-2.

"This is the most stressful game I've had in my life... but OH YES!

"Since he was 2-1 up I had a focus in my throw that I felt myself. I felt that if I could keep that focus I won't lose the game.

"It was so very tight, but to get over the line is amazing."

It was an epic regrouping from Doets who fought back from doubles troubles in the first set, missing all 11 chances, to break Smith's throw and level the game at 1-1.

With both players averaging around 90 in the third set, Smith found a much-needed break of throw to give himself the 2-1 advantage, but Doets came out flying in the fourth to take an enthralling contest to a deciding set.

In the fifth, Doets was then in the zone and started with an 11-dart break of throw to put Smith on the backfoot, but the St Helens man fought back with a 123 checkout and break of throw to take the match to its dramatic conclusion.

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Elsewhere, 2024 semi-finalist Scott Williams is through to the second round after a 3-1 victory against Niko Springer in a high-quality contest which included 16 180s and 22 140s between the pair.

Debutant Springer raced to a whitewash in the first set, wiring the bullseye for the 170 finish, but Williams quickly found his groove to take the second and level the game at 1-1.

The German was playing some stylish darts in the third set and took out a 110 checkout but Williams matched him with a 104 average which allowed the Englishman to move into a 2-1 lead as Springer missed his chances on the doubles.

With the momentum swinging between the two and the 180s continuing to flow, the fourth set went to a decider that saw Springer miss the bullseye and two darts at D8 to keep the match going, Williams pinning D11 to seal a match against Rob Cross in the second round.

Matt Campbell will face Ryan Searle in the second round after a dramatic 3-2 victory over Mensur Suljovic.

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It was a close contest between the world No 55 and world No 56 and after Campbell took the first set in a deciding leg, he missed six set darts for the second and allowed Suljovic to level the game.

However, it was a rapid third set that was the defining moment for the Canadian as he averaged 122 and found a sensational 160 checkout, the fifth and deciding set going all the way of Campbell too as he wrapped things up with a bullseye.

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Nick Kenny completed a 3-0 whitewash win over Stowe Buntz to set up a second-round clash with Raymond van Barneveld in the opening match of the night, pinning a spectacular 170 to win the contest.

Kenny got off to a flying start to take the first set in rapid time before holding off a Buntz fightback to move 2-0 up after a deciding leg, the Big Fish completing a night to remember for the Welshman.

Clemens suffers shock exit as Rydz impresses in opener

In Thursday's afternoon session, former Worlds semi-finalist Gabriel Clemens suffered a shock second-round exit at the hands of Robert Owen, the 27th seed going down 3-1 to the Welshman.

With Owen two sets and a break up, Clemens suddenly came roaring back to rattle off four straight legs while taking the third set and immediately breaking in the fourth.

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But Owen held his nerve, producing a 112 average in that fourth set to see off Clemens' comeback bid and close out a magnificent victory that is set to see him regain his tour card.

Callan Rydz produced the performance of the tournament so far, and the highest-ever first-round average (107.06), as the 2022 quarter-finalist swept aside Romeo Grbavac in straight sets.

Rydz was at one point threatening to become only the third player to average over 110 at the Ally Pally (after Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen), while Grbavac himself had a healthy 97.92 average but simply faced the wrong man as Rydz was relentless en route to a thumping 3-0 victory.

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Martin Lukeman was far from his best as he edged past Nitin Kumar 3-1, the surprise Grand Slam of Darts finalist from a month ago returning an average in the mid 80s against the Indian No 1.

Lok Yin Lee won nine consecutive legs to see off Chris Landman 3-1 in the opening clash of the afternoon. Landman claimed the opening set, but had a disaster on the doubles thereafter, missing 25 out of 28 attempts in the match.

What's next? Van Gerwen in action on Friday

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Masters champion Stephen Bunting headlines Friday's afternoon session against Kai Gotthardt, while the three first-round matches see Stephen Burton face Alexander Merkx, Wessel Nijman take on Cameron Carolissen and Ian White play Sandro Eric Sosing.

Mickey Mansell opens the evening session against Tomoya Goto and Florian Hempel goes up against Jeffrey de Zwaan, with William O'Connor playing Dylan Slevin before Michael van Gerwen opens his bid for a fourth world title against England's James Hurrell.

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