World Darts Championship Day 5: Victories for Wright and Clayton, Manby Shines and Drama at Ally Pally

Day five of the 2026 PDC World Darts Championship delivered yet another compelling mix of star power, breakthrough moments and high drama across two packed sessions at Alexandra Palace, as established names progressed and a new generation continued to make its mark on the sport’s biggest stage.

The arrival of big names such as Jonny Clayton and Peter Wright got the crowd excited. We were also treated to a remarkable debut victory for Charlie Manby, and a tense evening session including Dirk van Duijvenbode’s five-set thriller with Andy Baetens, there was no shortage of talking points in north London.

Afternoon Session: Experience Holds Firm as Youth Impresses

Wright Makes Winning Return, But Leaves Questions

Two-time world champion Peter Wright opened his campaign with a 3–0 victory over Noa-Lynn van Leuven, but the scoreline masked a performance that was effective rather than fluent.  Wright started as brightly as his customary Christmas outfit, breaking throw early and producing the standout moment of the match with a superb 152 checkout.

Despite periods of patchy scoring, Wright’s work on the doubles proved decisive. He closed the opening set without missing a dart at the outer ring and maintained his composure when Van Leuven threatened to level in the second. A strong checkout success rate ultimately allowed ‘Snakebite’ to pull clear and seal a straightforward passage into round two, where sterner tests await.

Manby Edges Classic as Menzies Loses Control

The match of the afternoon, and one of the tournament’s most gripping contests so far saw 20-year-old Charlie Manby edge Cameron Menzies 3–2 in a dramatic, emotionally charged encounter.

Menzies produced scoring bursts of the highest quality, hitting five maximums in the opening set alone, but persistent struggles on the doubles kept the door open. Manby, playing with maturity well beyond his years on his World Darts Championship debut, repeatedly absorbed pressure and responded with timely finishes.

The deciding set encapsulated the contest. After Manby landed a crucial 120 checkout to earn match darts, he endured a nervy finish, missing six darts for the match before finally sealing a famous victory.

The drama did not end with the final dart in Charlie Manby’s dramatic victory, as Cameron Menzies cut a visibly frustrated figure in the immediate aftermath of his defeat, the Scot struggled to contain his emotions on the stage. While Manby celebrated a landmark win,  awaiting the customary handshake, Menzies began repeatedly striking the drinks table in frustration, sending his equipment and bottle flying.

The outburst, watched on by a bemused Manby, underlined a recurring issue for Menzies, whose emotional volatility has previously surfaced under the sport’s brightest lights. It brought a jarring end to what had otherwise been one of the highest-quality matches of the tournament so far and for Menzies, marked a painful first-round exit at the World Darts Championship

Menzies released a statement shortly after the incident which you can read here

Dolan’s Finishing Sees Off Dudeney

Brendan Dolan booked his place in round two with a 3-1 win over debutant Tavis Dudeney, relying on his trademark composure and clinical finishing to navigate a testing assignment.

While Dudeney impressed with heavy scoring hitting nine 180s across the match, the 21 year old’s missed chances on the outer ring proved costly. Dolan capitalised with a series of eye-catching checkouts, including a 170 finish that brought the Ally Pally crowd to its feet, before eventually closing out the match to set up a meeting with Ryan Searle.

Suljovic’s Experience Tells

Mensur Suljovic marked his 17th World Championship appearance with a controlled 3-1 victory over David Cameron. The Austrian used his vast experience to manage key moments, particularly when Cameron threatened to build momentum after stealing the second set.

Suljovic’s preferred double 14 played a pivotal role as he reasserted control, eventually sealing the match on double 16. The win moves him into a second-round clash with Joe Cullen, with a potential blockbuster against Luke Littler looming later in the draw.

Evening Session: Comebacks, Scares and Seeds Progress

Hopp Impresses on Return Against Lukeman

Max Hopp marked his return to the World Darts Championship stage with a confident 3-1 victory over Martin Lukeman. The German made a blistering start, taking the opening set without reply while firing in three 180s and averaging close to 94.

Although Lukeman responded with a strong third set to briefly threaten a comeback, Hopp’s scoring power, seven maximums in total and steady finishing saw him safely through. He now advances to face 25th seed Luke Woodhouse in round two.

Van Duijvenbode Survives Baetens Scare

World number 29 Dirk van Duijvenbode was pushed to the limit by Andy Baetens but eventually prevailed 3-2 in one of the day’s standout contests.

Baetens capitalised on missed doubles from the Dutchman to take a 2-1 lead, but Van Duijvenbode responded with authority, averaging close to 99 in the fourth set before producing the moment of the night, a superb 170 checkout in the deciding set to break throw. The ‘Titan’ held his nerve from there to book a second-round meeting with James Hurrell.

Clayton Progresses Despite Inconsistency

Fifth seed Jonny Clayton moved into round two with a 3-1 win over Adam Lipscombe, though the Welshman was far from his fluent best. Clayton struggled on the doubles at times, allowing Lipscombe ranked 82nd in the world to level the match at 1-1.

However, a stronger third set, featuring an average close to 95, proved decisive as ‘The Ferret’ regained control and closed out the contest to avoid an upset.

Scutt v Whitlock Still to Come

Connor Scutt completed the evening’s action with a 3-2 victory over Simon Whitlock, in a fantastic match. Scutt raced into a 2–0 lead in sets and appeared firmly in control, but a lapse in focus allowed Whitlock to mount a challenge, forcing the contest deeper. The Australian, who qualified for the World Darts Championship by winning the ANZ Premier League and is no longer a PDC ProTour card holder, impressed throughout and lit up the Alexandra Palace stage with a stunning 167 checkout that drew a strong reaction from the crowd. With the third set finely poised at 2-2 in legs, Scutt missed four match darts before The Wizard snatched the set from him forcing the game on.

The fourth set once again saw another tense deciding leg and once again the experienced Australlian, playing in his 17th PDC World Darts Championship claim another set to force a decider.

The two exchanhed breaks of throw int he deciding set before Scutt nudged himself ahead, eventually bringing his total of missed match darts to seven before pinging D4 for a place in the next round of the World Darts Championships where he will meet Gary Anderson

Other Talking Points

• Youth continues to shine: Charlie Manby’s composure under intense pressure reinforced the growing impact of young players on the sport’s biggest stage.
• Seeds under scrutiny: While Clayton and Van Duijvenbode progressed, neither looked entirely comfortable, underlining the competitive depth of this year’s field.
• Finishing proving decisive: Across both sessions, matches repeatedly swung on missed doubles, a recurring theme in the opening rounds of the championship.

Day 5 Results

Afternoon Session

• Brendan Dolan 3-1 Tavis Dudeney
• Charlie Manby 3-2 Cameron Menzies
• Mensur Suljovic 3-1 David Cameron
• Peter Wright 3-0 Noa-Lynn van Leuven

Evening Session

• Martin Lukeman 1-3 Max Hopp
• Dirk van Duijvenbode 3-2 Andy Baetens
• Jonny Clayton 3-1 Adam Lipscombe
• Connor Scutt vs Simon Whitlock

Day 6 Fixtures – Tomorrow at the Paddy Power World Darts Championship

Afternoon Session (12:30 GMT)

• Alan Soutar vs Teemu Harju
• Nick Kenny vs Justin Hood
• Scott Williams vs Paolo Nebrida
• Chris Dobey vs Xiaochen Zong

Evening Session (19:00 GMT)

• Ricardo Pietreczko vs Jose de Sousa
• Danny Noppert vs Jurjen van der Velde
• Gerwyn Price vs Adam Gawlas
• Niko Springer vs Joe Comito