Defending champion Luke Littler was made to work against Darius Labanauskas on night one of the 2026 Paddy Power World Darts Championship.

The world number one won 3-0 to successfully begin the defence of his title, but the scoreline did not reflect just how hard Lucky D pushed the odds on favourite for the title.

The Nuke will now have an eight day rest before he returns to the stage, where he will play either Mario Vandenbogarde or David Davies in round two.

Littler wins key moments in Lucky D battle

Lithuania’s Labanauskas showed right from the off that he wasn’t on stage just to play second fiddle to The Nuke, hitting a 130 outshot in the opening leg. Three holds of throw followed, sending the first set into a decider.

Lucky D’s scoring though deserted him at a crucial moment, and despite leaving 32 after 15, The Nuke hit 76 with his last dart in hand to get the first break, and crucially the first set.

Again, both men held their throw in the second set to send it to another deciding fifth leg, and again Littler found his scoring at the right time. A 180 left him with 81 after nine, eventually hitting double 10 for a 14 dart hold and a two set lead.

The break in the third set came in the third leg, as the world number one found a 120 checkout with Labanauskas on 41 to go 2-1 in front. 16 darts later, he pinged double six to get over the line and move into round two, averaging 101.54 and hitting seven 180s.

Smith defeats Ashton to move into round two

After a tense first set, 2023 World Champion Michael Smith managed to find the gears he needed to defeat four time Ladies World Champion Lisa Ashton.

The Lancashire Rose, seeking her first win in five attempts at Paddy Power World Darts Championship, started the brighter, winning the opening two legs of the opening set. However, a missed dart at the bull for a 127 in the fourth leg changed the match, as The Bully Boy, who’d won leg three, pinged an 88 checkout to level, followed by a 15 darter to take the first stanza.

Smith’s best spell of the match came in set two, as he took just 40 darts to complete the clean sweep, hitting double 10 for a 2-0 nil lead. He then went 2-0 up in the third set, before missing six match darts in the third. Ashton found double two to stop the rot, but it only delayed the inevitable, as at the eighth time of asking, Bully Boy pinged double 18 in the next leg to close out the 3-0 victory.

Merx shocks Huybrechts in opener, Razma also through

The big shock of the opening night at the Paddy Power World Darts Championship came in the opening match, as Germany’s Arno Merk defeated former quarter finalist Kim Huybrechts.

Both held twice in the opening stanza to set up a decider, where The Hurricane hit a big 174 to leave 16 after 15 darts. Merk though found a 62 outshot on double 16 with his last dart in hand, to get the first break and to take the opening set.

It sparked the German Super League winner into life, as 17,14 and 13 dart consecutive legs followed, giving him a two set lead as Huybrechts had no answer. The Belgian though fought back after the final interval, holding throw twice, before breaking Merk in the fourth leg to get his first set on the board.

Just like the second set though, Merk had the throw, and the German debutant took full advantage. He did not give the Belgian a dart at a double, as an 18 dart hold, followed by back to back 17 darters, gave him the fourth set and victory.

In the last match of the night, Latvia’s Madars Razma made sure of his passage into round two, beating Dutch debutant Jamai Van den Herik 3-1.

In a very scrappy game, both held and broke in the first set, before Razma found a 75 checkout to win the decider and go 1-0 up.

Both broke, and then held throw in the second set, but Van den Herik took out 50 on double 16 to level.

Razma then held twice, before breaking in the fourth leg of set three, hitting double 18 to move 2-1 up. Both then produced two holds in set four to force another final leg, where Razma started by hitting six perfect darts. Despite not hitting the nine, he found double top for a 13 dart break and to move into round two.

2026 Paddy Power World Darts Championship Day One Results

Arno Merk 3-1 Kim Huybrechts

Michael Smith 3-0 Lisa Ashton

Luke Littler 3-0 Darius Labanauskas

Madars Razma 3-1 Jamai van den Herik

Paddy Power World Darts Championship Day Two Schedule of Play

Friday 12 December

Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)

Round One x4

Niels Zonneveld v Haupai Puha

Ian White v Mervyn King

Ryan Searle v Chris Landman

Rob Cross v Cor Dekker

Evening Session (1900 GMT)

Round One x4

Ross Smith v Andreas Harrysson

Ricky Evans v Man Lok Leung

Gian van Veen v Cristo Reyes

Damon Heta v Steve Lennon