Michael Smith got his title defence up and running at the PDC World Darts Championship – but he was pushed all the way by Kevin Doets as the tournament began at Alexandra Palace.
Doets, the world No 66, had overcome Stowe Buntz 3-0 in Friday’s opening match and looked a dangerous opponent for Smith. The world No 1 began by breaking his opponent’s throw to take the first set 3-1 – but Doets hit back to level in the second.
The Dutchman had maintained an average of more than 100 over the first two sets, and he continued that form in the third set, holding throw in the deciding leg to put Smith under huge pressure.
Smith, looking to become only the third player to retain his PDC world title, pounced to level at two sets each after Doets missed two darts at double 16. In the first leg of the decider, Smith hit a 142 checkout to break throw and apparently take control of the match.
The St Helens star, who won his first Ally Pally title in January with a 7-4 victory over Michael van Gerwen, then showed signs of nerves by missing five match darts – but nailed double top on his own throw to get over the line with a 100.49 average.
“I nearly threw it away a couple of times,” Smith told Sky Sports. “I had to keep battling and keep fighting. I didn’t want to go to a last-leg decider, [but] I managed to fall over the line.”
The 33-year-old has endured an inconsistent season after his maiden world crown, but insisted that defending the title brought extra pressure. “Driving up to Alexandra Palace, I felt the same nerves I felt last year, and have felt here every year,” he said.
Simon Whitlock came through a five-set battle of his own against Paolo Nebrida of the Philippines. Both players struggled to hit doubles in a tight contest, but the former finalist Whitlock checked out on double four in the deciding set to set up a second-round meeting with Gary Anderson on Saturday evening.
Elsewhere, Scotland’s Cameron Menzies beat Rusty-Jake Rodriguez of Austria 3-0. Menzies, who had spent most of Friday at his day job as a plumber, hit 50% of his doubles and will face the No 11 seed, Dave Chisnall, on Saturday afternoon.
“I was working but it kind of chilled me out, it made me realise that darts is a hobby and a very lucky one, too,” Menzies said afterwards. “I was so nervous, I knew that game meant a lot. What happens now is a bonus but winning that game meant the world to me.”
The world No 63 will now hope that his girlfriend, Fallon Sherrock, can also progress past the first round on Monday night. Menzies added that he was happy to avoid Sherrock, who made history with her run to the third round in 2020, in the draw.
“I play Fallon in the house and I beat her eight times out of 10 but she has moments when she smashes me, which is fair enough,” the 34-year-old said. “I know for a fact up there on the stage she would batter me. It’s her stage, she would batter me.”
