Jonny Tata made a solid start on his World Championship debut, seeing off an out-of-form Ritchie Edhouse in straight sets while posting an 89.63 average. He was helped by plenty of missed doubles from his opponent, but overall, he’ll be pleased with how he handled the occasion.
Ryan Meikle was even more convincing, dropping just a single leg in his 3-0 win over Jesus Salate. The Barber averaged 89.14 and will be hoping to repeat that level here.
Experience often counts for a lot at Ally Pally, and Meikle has plenty of it now. I expect him to come through this match, although the sets could be closely fought, which should still allow opportunities for plenty of 180s.
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Daryl Gurney's timing in his opening match was magnificent as he battled his way past a valiant performance from Beau Greaves. All of the pressure was on Superchin, but he showed his class and experience to come through 3-2.
Callan Rydz played really well at times during his opening round victory, but he'll know he needs to sharpen up on his doubles if he wants to continue his fine record at the World Championships.
This match feels like a clash of different styles, with Rydz bringing heavy scoring and Gurney relying more on steady, reliable play. That contrast should make for a close contest, which could suit Rydz by giving him the chance to find his rhythm and unleash the scoring power he’s shown at Ally Pally before.
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Jermaine Wattimena found himself 2-1 down in round one, but survived a shock to edge past Dominik Gruellich 3-2.
Scott Williams proved the doubts about his rhythm were wrong as he produced a vintage Shaggy performance on the Ally Pally stage. Paolo Nebrida has been a tough cookie to crack over the past few years, but Williams coasted through the tie, finishing the match with a 99.25 average.
The Dutchman looked extremely vulnerable in his opening match, and if he shows any signs of frailty today, Williams will pounce on it. The Englishman's presence on stage is daunting for a lot of players, and if Wattimena doesn't get off to a quick start, his head will drop, which is something he has done a lot in the past.
I'm really surprised at the bookies' price for Scott Williams to win, infact after round one and his previous runs at Ally Pally, you could even argue he should be the favourite.
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Danny Noppert continues to fly under the radar, but produced another solid performance in round one, defeating Dutch compatriot Jurjen van der Velde 3-1. The Freeze hit seven 180s and averaged 96.62.
Justin Hood took his impressive floor form onto the big stage to win 3-0 on debut against Nick Kenny. Hood took the match to the Welshman from the off, and finished the game with five 180s and a 99.59 average.
Noppert will need to be careful here because Hood is a dangerous player. I think the Dutchman will have a bit too much, but if Hood continues how he did in the first round, we can guarantee plenty of maximums in this one.
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Michael van Gerwen was visibly disappointed with his first-round performance, but he showed plenty of grit to avoid a huge shock and come through 3-1. The great Dutchman produced five maximums and a 90.82 average, and he'll know he needs to be much better than that tonight to get past round one's standout performer.
William O'Connor produced a magnificent performance in round one, defeating Krzysztof Kciuk 3-0 with an average of 102.36. I've repeatedly mentioned that I feel the Irishman is the most underrated player on tour, and it was good to see him finally produce a performance we all know he has in the locker.
This looks set to be a tight encounter. MVG knows he needs to improve, and I think he will, now that the first-round nerves are behind him. If William O'Connor can keep his performance levels high, then this could go the distance, and if it does, there will be maximums galore.
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James is a former professional dart player who enjoys writing about darts, golf and football. In 2012, he was crowned the PDC World Youth Champion and these days, he puts his expertise to use with betting tips for BettingLounge readers.