2023 champion Michael Smith became the biggest name to fall on a huge day of upsets at the Paddy Power World Darts Championship.

Kevin Doets, who lost to the Bully Boy 3-2 12 months ago in round two, reversed the score this time around. It means Smith, who was defending the £500,000 he received for winning this event two years ago, will drop to at least 15 in the world rankings at the end of the tournament.

Both seeds fell at Alexandra Palace today, Gabriel Clemens lost to Robert Owen 3-1, while Pro Tour qualifiers Chris Landman and Mensur Suljovic both fell to qualifiers in the first round.

Smith and Clemens fall on dramatic day

Many were expecting a close game between Smith and Doets, but the pair delivered the game of the tournament so far.

After a lacklustre first four sets, the match came alive in the fifth and deciding one. Doets won the first two legs, before a 123 checkout from Smith got him back in the match. Hawkeye then missed tops to win it in the fourth leg, and The Bully Boy capitalised, hitting an 84 outshot to force extra time.

The pair then traded breaks, before each held to make the final set score 4-4. Like 12 months ago, when Smith an astonishing 142 at the start of the fifth, the game turned on an astonishing shot in the ninth.

The former World Darts Championship winner missed two darts to go 5-4 ahead, and Doets capitalised, firing in a 90 finish on the bull to break and have a chance to once again throw for the match. 15 darts later, the Dutchman pinged double five, to win an absolutely epic final set 6-4 and the contest 3-2.

Clemens lost to Smith in the semi finals two years ago, but fell at his first hurdle this time around in his defeat to Owen.

Stat Attack won the opening set in a deciding leg, before going two clear 46 darts later with a whitewash second stanza. The German Giant hit a 117 outshot to level set three, before back to back 13 darters halved the deficit.

He then hit an outstanding 143 for a 12 dart break at the start of set four, but Owen hit back with a 12 dart break of his own and then holding in 13 to go within one leg of the match. Clemens missed two darts to force a fourth set decider, allowing the Welshman to ping tops and seal victory. It also means that barring a very unlikely set of results, Owen will keep his tour card in 2025.

Campbell and Yin Lee continue into round two

In arguably the most dramatic game of the day, Matt Campbell saw off Mensur Suljovic in a five set thriller.

The first two sets were split, before Campbell reeled off a whitewash third set with an outstanding 160 checkout. The Gentle fought back, finding double eight in the deciding leg of the fourth to force a decider.

The Ginja Ninja had the darts at the start of the fifth though, and made the advantage pay, finding another whitewash set and finishing the match with an 89 outshot on the bull. Canada’s Campbell will now play Ryan Searle in round two on Sunday afternoon.

Hong Kong’s Lok Yin Lee took advantage of some poor finishing from Chris Landman to win on debut at the Paddy Power World Darts Championship.

Landman won the first set 3-2, but did not win another leg, finishing just 3/28 on the doubles. It allowed Yin Lee to cruise to victory, as he wrapped up a 3-1 win with a 60 outshot. He will play Brendan Dolan on Saturday afternoon.

What else happened?

Scott Williams and Niko Springer also produced a quality game, as Shaggy, who made the last four here 12 months ago, won 3-1 in a match that saw 16 180s.

Springer won the first set 3-0, but ultimately finished 7/30 on the checkouts, as poor doubling allowed Williams to take the next three sets, eventually ending an absorbing contest on double 11. The Englishman now faces Rob Cross in the final round two game of the 2025 Paddy Power World Darts Championship on Monday night.

The performance of the day came from Callan Rydz. The Riot lived up to his nickname as he hit a 107.1 average, the highest ever in a last 96 game at the Worlds, as he dropped just two legs to Croatia’s Romeo Grbavac in a 3-0 whitewash victory. Rydz will face Martin Schindler in round two on Sunday night.

Nick Kenny also produced a whitewash win as he beat former Grand Slam quarter finalist Stowe Buntz 3-0. The Welshman ended the game by reeling in The Big Fish 170 checkout, to set up a second round clash with five time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld.

Finally, Grand Slam runner up Martin Lukeman continued his good form, as he beat Indian qualifier Nitin Kumar 3-1. Kumar won the opening set, the first time he’d won a set in four matches at Alexandra Palace, but Smash was too strong in the end, winning nine of the remaining 11 legs. He’ll now play Andrew Gilding on Monday afternoon.

2025 Paddy Power World Darts Championship Day Five Results

Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)

3x Round One, 1x Round Two

Lok Yin Lee 3-1 Chris Landman (R1)

Callan Rydz 3-0 Romeo Grbavac (R1)

Martin Lukeman 3-1 Nitin Kumar (R1)

Robert Owen 3-1 Gabriel Clemens (R2)

Evening Session (1900 GMT)

3x Round One, 1x Round Two

Nick Kenny 3-0 Stowe Buntz (R1)

Matt Campbell 3-2 Mensur Suljovic (R1)

Scott Williams 3-1 Niko Springer (R1)

Michael Smith v Kevin Doets (R2)