Rock beats Hayter to reach round two at PDC Worlds

Northern Ireland’s Josh Rock began his PDC World Championship campaign with a 3-1 first-round triumph over England’s Gemma Hayter.

The 24-year-old is the 11th seed at this year’s event but runs to the semi-finals of the World Matchplay, World Series Finals and UK Open this year, as well as winning the World Cup alongside Daryl Gurney, mean he is considered among the favourites for the world title.

Poor finishing from Rock in the third set, in which he hit just one of his 11 attempts at doubles, led to Hayter pulling a set back after she had fallen 2-0 behind.

Her level rose as the match progressed and she took the fourth set to a deciding leg, before Rock successfully checked out 81 to seal victory.

Rock will take on Australian Joe Comito in round two.

Dutchman Kevin Doets set up a second-round meeting with Kenya’s David Munyua with a 3-1 win against England’s Matthew Dennant.

Doets averaged more than 92 but Dennant battled hard to remain in the contest, winning two legs in both the third and fourth sets, which were eventually claimed by Doets to seal victory.

American Leonard Gates defeated Northern Ireland’s Mickey Mansell in an up-and-down tie.

Neither player managed to win consecutive sets as Gates went on to win 3-2, with one leg in the fourth set won by Mansell in 33 darts.

Englishman Ryan Meikle had a much more comfortable passage through to the second round, beating Argentina’s Jesus Salate in straight sets.

The first round concludes with four more matches in Friday’s evening session.

Beau Greaves, who topped the Women’s Series in 2025 and recently reached the final of the World Youth Championship, takes on 22nd seed Daryl Gurney in the most anticipated of the four matches.

From 19:00 GMT: