Former champion Michael Smith has been sensationally knocked out of the PDC World Championship by Kevin Doets.
Englishman Smith, seeded second, went down 3-2 after a pulsating second-round duel at Alexandra Palace in London.
Dutchman Doets prevailed 6-4 in the deciding set, despite checkouts of 123, 84, 94 and 76 from 2023 champion Smith.
“This was the most stressful game of my life and I’ve won it, yes,” said world number 51 Doets.
“I felt if I can keep my focus, I won’t lose this. It was so very tight, to get over the line was amazing.”
The 26-year-old took the first set and fought back after going 2-1 down to avenge his narrow defeat to Smith at the same stage last year.
Having lost in the second round of the tournament for the first time since 2020, the 34-year-old Smith is now set to drop out of the world’s top 10.
England’s Scott Williams, who made a shock run to the semi-finals in the 2024 tournament before losing to eventual champion Luke Humphries, overcame Niko Springer 3-1 in a thriller.
German debutant Springer, second on this year’s development tour, won all three legs in the opening set before the match exploded into life.
Williams hit back, showing his old swagger as he went ahead after a sensational third set which featured seven 180s.
The 34-year-old edged the deciding leg in the fourth and will meet 2018 champion Rob Cross in round two on Monday.
Welshman Nick Kenny also delighted the Ally Pally crowd with a fabulous 170 finish to seal a 3-0 victory in round one over American Stowe Buntz.
The 31-year-old will face five-time world champion Raymond Barneveld on Saturday evening on a bill which also features teenage star Luke Littler against Ryan Meikle.
Canadian Matt Campbell set up a second-round match against Ryan Searle with a 3-2 defeat of Austrian Mensur Suljovic.
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