World Darts Championship: Peter Wright gets title defence off to winning start at Alexandra Palace | Darts News

Watch the 2023 PDC World Darts Championship – live on Sky Sports Darts; we are back for a double session on Friday from 12pm and 7pm with Adrian Lewis and Michael Smith in action, while Beau Greaves takes on Willie O’Connor

Defending champion Peter Wright got a festive feast of arrows up and running with a comfortable 3-0 win on the opening night of the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace.

The Scot withdrew from last month’s Players Championship Finals with his wife Jo in hospital, but after receiving positive news last week, Wright was back in bullish mood on the big stage as he began his bid for a third Sid Waddell Trophy in four years with a comfortable victory over Northern Ireland’s Mickey Mansell.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Watch Peter Wright and his ‘Grinch’ walk-on against Mickey Mansell on the opening night of the World Championship

Mansell had become the first winner at this year’s Worlds, defeating Ben Robb to set up the meeting with Wright.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Wright fired in the first maximum of the contest before taking out 121 on the bullseye in the opening set

‘Snakebite’ rattled off a cracking 121 on the bullseye to lay down an early marker as he won the opening set 3-1.

The writing appeared to be on the wall for former World Cup semi-finalist Mansell when the reigning champion sailed through the second set in three straight legs to double his advantage with a modest 92 average.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

The reigning champion struck with this spectacular 126 finish to close in on victory

Wright continued the onslaught in the third set, pinning a majestic 126 out-shot before cleaning up 68 on tops to sweep into the third round in style.

“Not happy with the performance, but it’s a win,” said Wright, who now has 12 days off before his third-round clash against Kim Huybrechts or Grant Sampson. “The defending champion is still in and it’s Christmas.”

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Wright said it was ‘hard’ for Mansell to get up for two matches in a night but he was ‘happy’ with the win

South African debutant Grant Sampson caused the first big shock of the tournament by knocking out UK Open semi-finalist Keane Barry 3-1.

‘Samurai’, who eliminated nine-time World Championship qualifier Devon Petersen en route to booking his spot on the grandest stage of them all, threw four maximums and a superb 125 checkout to stun Irishman Barry.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Grant Sampson told Polly James he only plays in front of 30 people back home in South Africa, but he’s now made a real name for himself after a dream debut at Ally Pally

The 40-year-old, who will earn £15,000 for reaching the second round, will hold no fear when he takes on ‘The Hurricane’ Kim Huybrechts in Friday’s afternoon session.

“Back home we play in front of 30 people but this is another thing,” said Sampson. “I was very, very, very nervous. My darts were not going in straight at all so I was just trying to focus, but it was difficult. Now that I’ve got the first game out of the way I can only get better because that was horrible.”

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Sampson pinned tops for a sensational 125 finish to take a 2-0 lead in the second set against Barry

Quickfire Dutchman Jermaine Wattimena also made an early exit as he lost 3-2 to emerging star Nathan Rafferty.

Wattimena failed to hit the bullseye to win the opening set and that allowed Rafferty to sink double 2 to claim it, but the Dutchman soon sparked into life with a 97 checkout in the deciding leg of the second set to square things up.

Former World Youth finalist Rafferty moved one set away from dumping out Wattimena by sweeping through the next set with three consecutive 17-leg darts, but ‘The Machine Gun’ took the match the distance thanks to an opening 108 finish, a 14-dart leg and a crucial 101 checkout.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Rafferty prevailed in a nail-biter to set up a meeting with Michael Smith

However, it was 22-year-old Rafferty who showed exceptional composure – one week after surgery to remove his appendix – to make it through to a date with Grand Slam of Darts champion Michael Smith after sinking double 10 with his fifth match dart.

Friday at Ally Pally

Beau Greaves makes her Ally Pally bow on Friday night against Ireland’s Willie O’Connor

The first double session of this year’s World Championship will take place on Friday, as two-time runner-up Smith takes on Rafferty in his opener.

Two-time world champion Adrian Lewis faces Sweden’s Daniel Larsson in the afternoon session, before eight-time PDC Women’s Series winner Beau Greaves makes her highly-anticipated Ally Pally bow against Willie O’Connor in the evening session.

Watch the 2023 PDC World Darts Championship – live on Sky Sports Darts – from December 15 to January 3.