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World Darts Championship: Daryl Gurney opens with straight-sets win

WILLIAM HILL WORLD DARTS CHAMPIONSHIP 2019.ALEXANDRA PALACE,.LONDON.PIC;LAWRENCE LUSTIG.ROUND 2 .DARYL GURNEY V ROSS SMITH.DARYL GURNEY IN ACTION
Image: Daryl Gurney is through to the third round

Daryl Gurney made a strong start to the World Darts Championship with a straight-sets victory over Ross Smith at Alexandra Palace.

The Northern Irishman avoid becoming the latest high-profile early exit with a 3-0 win, booking the fifth seed a last-32 meeting with last year's semi-finalist Jamie Lewis.

Gurney, who won the Players Championship last month, stuttered through the opening set but improved as the contest progressed, firing a 100.3 average and losing just two legs during an impressive victory.

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A quick wrap up of all the action from the evening session on day six of the World Darts Championship.

The 32-year-old rounded off an eventful evening session, where Ron Meulenkamp came through a five-set thriller to beat Diogo Portela and Dimitri van den Bergh and Steve Lennon also won their matches.

Daryl Gurney 3-0 Ross Smith

Daryl Gurney fired six 180s and posted the third-highest average of the tournament so far to brush aside Ross Smith.

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Here's how Daryl Gurney signed off his victory with an 88 checkout

The Northern Irishman broke throw with a 13-darter in the second leg but missed four set darts in the next to allow Smith to immediately break back.

Smith took the opening set to a final-leg decider, where Gurney prevailed with a 14-darter before shrugging off some more wayward finishing to take the next set in straight legs.

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The fifth seed's checkout percentage improved significantly in the third set, finding the double at the first attempt in his next two legs before sealing his victory with a 12-dart leg and 88 finish.

Dimitri Van den Bergh 3-0 Chuck Puleo

Dimitri Van den Bergh stuttered to a straight-sets win over Chuck Poleo, despite only registering one 180 and posting an 85.29 average in the first-round contest.

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Dimitri Van den Bergh hit a magnificent 144 checkout during his first-round win over Chuck Puleo.

Van den Bergh took the opening set in straight legs and won the opener of the second against the darts after Puleo wasted numerous looks at double, only for the American to get a leg on the board with a 58 checkout.

The Belgian broke back in a scrappy 21-dart leg on his way to taking the second set 3-1, before firing a stunning 144 finish early in the third to move closer to victory.

Puleo found a must-make 66 checkout to take the set to a decider, where the qualifier missed two set darts to allow Van den Bergh to return and take out D20 and progress.

World Darts Championship - Tuesday Evening Results

First Round Steve Lennon 3-0 James Bailey
First Round Ron Meulenkamp 3-2 Diogo Portela
First Round Dimitri Van den Bergh 3-0 Chuck Puleo
Second Round Daryl Gurney 3-0 Ross Smith

Ron Meulenkamp 3-2 Diogo Portela

Ron Meulenkamp fought back from two sets down to register his first Alexandra Palace victory and book his place in the last-64.

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Ron Meulenkamp came back from two sets down to beat Diogo Portela.

Meulenkamp was whitewashed in the first set by a dominant Diogo Portela, who broke throw in the second leg with a 92 checkout and followed it with an 11-darter in the next.

The Brazilian won the next two legs on his way to winning the second set 3-1, only for Meulenkamp to respond with a 124 finish and a 13-darter in the next to keep the contest alive.

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Relive the moment Meulenkamp booked his place in the next round

Portelo squandered five darts to break throw as Meulenkamp took the fourth set, before the Dutchman fired a 12-darter on his way to winning the decider 3-1 to set up a meeting with tenth seed Michael Smith.

Steve Lennon 3-0 James Bailey

Steve Lennon booked a third-round clash with Alan Norris after seeing away Oceanic Masters champion James Bailey in straight sets.

Bailey took the opening leg but struggled to threaten the 25-year-old, who responded with a 92 checkout and broke throw in the next leg on his way to taking the opening set.

The Irishman replied to Bailey's exhibition double-double finish by taking out 112 in the next, before recovering from seven missed darts at doubles during the fourth leg to take a final-leg decider.

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Bailey's 100 checkout was one of two 100+ finishes in the contest

Lennon made an early break in the third set and squandered six match darts to give Bailey a lifeline, only to see out victory with a 57 finish in the next leg.

Thornton's tungsten woes continue

WILLIAM HILL WORLD DARTS CHAMPIONSHIP 2019.ALEXANDRA PALACE,.LONDON.PIC;LAWRENCE LUSTIG.ROUND 1.ROBERT THORNTON V DANIEL LARSSON.ROBERT THORNTON IN ACTION
Image: Thornton's dreadful form continued at Ally Pally on Tuesday

Robert Thornton's decline from the darting echelons continued at All Pally as he slumped to a surprise 3-1 defeat to Swedish qualifier Daniel Larsson in the opening match of the afternoon session.

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Here's a moment Larsson will never forget as he ended Thornton's hopes with a shock win

The two-time PDC major winner has seen his form dwindle since winning the 2015 World Grand Prix with the Scot having fallen outside of the world's top 32 and Larsson, a four-time World Cup of Darts representative, set up a second-round showdown against 21st-seed Kim Huybrechts with a pulsating win.

World Darts Championship - Tuesday Afternoon Results

First Round Robert Thornton 1-3 Daniel Larsson
First Round Ricky Evans 1-3 Rowby-John Rodriguez
First Round Krzysztof Ratajski 2-3 Seigo Asada
Second Round Darren Webster 0-3 Vincent van der Voort

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What a leg! Evans went from 304 to winning the leg in under 20 seconds, hitting a 180 and a 124 checkout, either side of Rodriguez's maximum

Rowby-John Rodriguez sealed his first success in four appearances at the tournament as the Austrian defeated Ricky Evans 3-1 in a rapid match between the former World Youth finalists. Rodriguez's reward is a clash against Cristo Reyes in the second round.

Seigo Asada fought back from two sets down to defeat Poland's Krzysztof Ratajski, while 13th seed Darren Webster crashed out after losing in straight sets to Vincent van der Voort.

You can follow every dart from every session of the World Darts Championships on Sky Sports Darts, check out the full schedule here.

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