James Wade made a winning start to his bid for an elusive maiden World Darts Championship title, as former champion Raymond van Barneveld crashed out at the Alexandra Palace.
Wade - a two-time major TV finalist this year - had lost each of his previous three World Darts Championship matches but avoided making another early exit with a straight-sets victory over Japan's Ryusei Azemoto.
'The Machine' dropped just one leg during a dominant display, where he barely needed to get out of first gear on his way to a first victory on the Alexandra Palace stage since his run to the semi-finals in the 2022 edition.
Wade posted a 94.75 average and now faces a second-round showdown with Ricky Evans, while Van Barneveld - a five-time world champion - was dumped out in straight sets by Switzerland's Stefan Bellmont.
13th seed Martin Schindler claimed a 3-1 victory over Stephen Burton, while American Adam Sevada made a winning start to his World Darts Championship debut after beating Canada's Matt Campbell by the same margin.
The fans' favourite received a warm welcome from the Ally Pally crowd ahead of his record-equalling 33rd World Championship appearance and opened with a tidy 14-dart hold, only to quickly fall behind in a one-sided contest.
Bellmont responded with his own 14-darter to spark a run of eight consecutive legs, including a 96 checkout at the start of the second set, with impressive finishing seeing him pull clear of the Dutchman.
Van Barneveld offered brief hope by taking out an 80 finish to hold throw, only for Bellmont to close out victory in the next leg to become the first Swiss player to win at the event.
The 58-year-old is set to fall down the PDC Order of Merit after his first-round exit, with questions now being raised about how much longer Van Barneveld - who hasn't reached the quarter final at the World Championship since 2018 - will continue to compete at the highest level.
"I don't want to kick a player when he's down, but he didn't look happy up there," former Premier League champion Glen Durrant told Your Site. "Father time catches up on you - it's difficult that longevity. That's why I admire players who have been around such a long time.
"To see a great, an icon, the guy who set off Dutch darts to where it's now, it's tough to see. I hope Barney bounces back but it's very difficult when you're in that downward trajectory."
The seventh seed quickly took control of his contest by opening with a 15-darter and breaking Azemoto in the next, then responded to his opponent taking out an 80 finish by wrapping the opening set with an 87 checkout.
Wade raced through the second set in straight legs, opening with a 100 finish on tops and scrappily holding throw in the next after wayward finishing from both players, then raced through the third in similar fashion to avoid a first-round exit.
"I'm really happy," Wade told Your Site. "Tonight showed the practice I've been doing. It wasn't spectacular but when I needed to hit something and do something, it happened.
"I have felt better coming here, but have also felt a lot worse. He [Ricky Evans in round two] will have to play well to beat me. I will have to play well to beat him. He knows my abilities, and I know his. We will see how it goes."
The performance of the night came from Schindler in the final match, firing a 99.14 average and posting seven maximums, with the German winning each of his last six legs and now facing either Australia's Tim Pusey or Ireland's Keane Barry in the next round.
"I was good on the 180s," Schindler told Your Site. "When I needed key shots, I did it. The German fans here are so good, it's really great! Feeling-wise my finishing wasn't great. I'm happy to get through because it's not easy here at the Worlds."
The opening match of the evening saw Sevada set up a second-round meeting with fellow debutant Charlie Manby after capitalising on missed doubling from Campbell during his 3-1 victory.
Campbell recovered from going a set down by following a 13-darter with a 96 checkout to snatch the second in a final-leg decider. The American missed two sets darts in the third and was punished by Sevada, who then won the next in straight legs to progress.
Last year's quarter-finalist Callan Rydz kicks off Thursday's double session when he faces Patrik Kovacs, before Thibault Tricole plays Motomu Sakai and Ryan Joyce - who took Luke Littler to a final-set decider in last year's fourth-round clash - takes on Owen Bates.
Former World Grand Prix champion Mike de Decker rounds off the afternoon session against David Munyua, while Jermaine Wattimena starts the evening action against Dominik Gruellich ahead of Dave Chisnall playing 'Queen of the Palace' Fallon Sherrock.
Three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen headlines day eight and begins his tournament against Mitsuhiko Tatsunami, a year on from a runner-up finish to Littler, before Krzysztof Ratajski goes up against Alexis Toylo in the final match of the night.
Who will win the Paddy Power World Darts Championship? Watch every match exclusively live all the way through until Saturday January 3 on Your Site' dedicated darts channel. .
