Ross Smith was stung by a wasp on stage at the World Championship after avoiding second-round pain to Niels Zonneveld.

Number 16 seed Smith eased to a 3-1 victory over Zonneveld before running into problems at Alexandra Palace.

“There’s the wasp,” Smith said in his post-match Sky Sports interview as he noticed the insect.

The Englishman then recoiled in pain and said: “He’s just stung me like a good one. Little bugger.”

Smith, a prolific maximum hitter, was below his best but still produced seven 180s and the second 170 checkout of the tournament to see off plucky Dutchman Zonnevald.

“It wasn’t a great game and I didn’t play nowhere near what I can,” said Smith. “But I can enjoy my turkey and pigs in blankets now.

“I tried to get some fire in my belly, but it was really difficult. I was a bit nervy the last couple of days, everyone is because you just want to get through.

“I will relax now and hopefully be better after Christmas.”

Exeter debutant Owen Bates lost a two-set lead as Ireland’s Steve Lennon fought back to win 3-2.

Lennon won nine of the last 11 legs against the 21-year-old crowd favourite to claim the win needed to retain his PDC Tour card.

“I don’t know how I won that,” said Lennon. “I was panicking deep down, it’s a massive win.”

Bates had qualified through the PDC Challenge Tour and emerged with huge credit from a pulsating contest, hitting five 180s and producing 101 and 108 second-set checkouts.

But Bates missed five doubles for a 2-1 lead in the fourth set as Lennon, who hit six maximums, grew stronger and booked a second-round meeting with Welshman Jonny Clayton.

Lennon’s compatriot William O’Connor had a far more comfortable time with a 3-0 victory over Bhav Patel.

The Indian left-hander was close to a 157 finish but he failed to win a single leg and the impressive O’Connor – who hit 64 per cent of his doubles and averaged 98.74 – will play Chris Dobey next.

Poland’s Cork-based Radek Szaganski took to the stage on his Alexandra Palace debut wearing the colours of the Irish flag.

Szaganski overcame Finland’s Marko Kantele 3-2 with a final set 142 checkout helping him through to a second-round clash with five-time world champion Raymond van Barneveld.

Michael van Gerwen began his bid for a third World Championship title by easing into the third round.

The Dutchman has not won the biggest tournament in darts since 2019 and is ready to end that drought, opening his campaign with a 3-0 win over Keane Barry.

The highlight was an impressive 167 checkout, finishing with an average of 98.17 at Alexandra Palace.

Van Gerwen knows there is room for improvement but is happy to be in the next round.

“I’m a little disappointed with my scoring, the most important thing is I won my first game,” he said during his on-stage interview.

“You don’t want to let yourself down, you have to fight for every leg, and when things like the 167 work it gives you a great boost.

“It’s the first round of the World Championship no one wants to lose, there is pressure on me, like there is all the top boys. The most important thing is I’m back after Christmas.”

Matt Campbell is flying home for Christmas after sending 13th seed James Wade crashing out.

The world number 57 beat the four-time semi-finalist 3-2 to record the biggest win of his career and win back-to-back matches at Ally Pally for the first time in his career.

He will now return home to Canada before returning for the post-Christmas last 32.

“The flight back is going to suck,” he said. “I have been doing it for two years flying back and forth, I’ve got to the Worlds twice.

“I think I need to fly home and see my family more than anything. If I stay awake when I fly back there is no jetlag, right?”

Wade, who became the first seeded player to exit the tournament, did not shake Campbell’s hand after the match but the Canadian had no hard feelings.

“I woudldn’t be happy either,” he said. “I guarantee if I see him now he would come down and be like nothing happened. But in that moment, we work all hard all year for this, I don’t blame him for being disappointed.”

Keegan Brown will not want to hear the name Boris Krcmar again after enduring a chastening afternoon.

Brown was left confused when MC John McDonald mistakenly called out his opponent’s name when he was due to walk onto the stage before the first-round match.

Things got even worse once play began as the Croatian cruised to a 3-1 win.

Brown took the first set but things went downhill from there, with Krcmar coming back to reach the second round for the second successive year, with Dirk van Duijvenbode waiting for him in the next round.

Leading women’s player Mikuru Suzuki is still waiting for her first win at the Alexandra Palace after she was beaten 3-0 by German Ricardo Pietreczko.

Suzuki follows Fallon Sherrock out of the tournament.

There were also wins for Steve Beaton, Jeffrey de Graaf, Tomoya Goto and Mike De Decker.

James Wade became the first seed to crash out of the World Championship after losing to world number 57 Matt Campbell.

The Canadian produced the biggest win of his career as he came from 2-1 down to beat the four-time semi-finalist 3-2.

Wade, seeded 13th, was in good form, having reached a final, semi-final and quarter-final in the last three major tournaments, but is out of the main event of the year before Christmas.

Keegan Brown will not want to hear the name Boris Krcmar again after enduring a chastening afternoon.

Brown was left confused when MC John McDonald mistakenly called out his opponent’s name when he was due to walk onto the Alexandra Palace stage before the first-round match.

Things got even worse once play began as the Croatian cruised to a 3-1 win.

Brown took the first set but things went downhill from there, with Krcmar coming back to reach the second round for the second successive year, with Dirk van Duijvenbode waiting for him in the next round.

Elsewhere in the afternoon session, Jeffrey de Graaf produced a comeback to beat Ritchie Edhouse 3-2 while Tomoya Goto beat Ian White 3-1.

Gary Anderson began his quest for a third World Championship title in style with a handsome victory over Simon Whitlock.

The Scot, who won back-to-back crowns at Alexandra Palace in 2015 and 2016, has been looking back to his best this year after a lull and eased through to the third round with a 3-0 success over the Australian.

He set the tone with a 180 with his opening throw of the match and won the first five legs to take command.

Anderson, who averaged 98.29, saw it out in style, taking out 116 for the highest checkout of the match.

“The first set I played better, but I have known Simon a long, long time, he struggled up there,” the Scot said. “But happy with the win.

“I am trying to get back, I didn’t want to play darts in the last three years. I am enjoying it again, win or lose, I am enjoying it.”

Jamie Hughes was fighting back tears after finally breaking his Ally Pally duck.

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The world number 62 had lost his previous four matches on the big stage but put that right by beating David Cameron 3-1.

He said: “I am probably playing the worst I have ever played in my life and I have just won a game. I have played better and lost. I am so, so happy to finally get a win on that stage.

“Hopefully that has got the duck off my back and I can play my natural game.”

Dave Chisnall sent Cameron Menzies back to the day job after knocking him in the afternoon session.

Menzies had booked his place in the second round on Friday night after working a half-day as a plumber, having to fix a burst pipe and repair a kitchen sink.

He was back in action on Saturday afternoon, having at least had the morning off, but could not repeat the trick and 11th seed Chisnall came from a set down to win 3-1.

Menzies, who is hoping to make the transition to become a full-time darts player, will be back at the Palace on Sunday to support his girlfriend Fallon Sherrock, but his run at this year’s tournament is over.

Lee Evans reckons it would not be a major shock if he beats Luke Humphries in the second round.

The 35-year-old marked his Ally Pally debut with a 3-0 win over Sandro Eric Sosing to set up a date with his former playing partner Humphries, who is the favourite to win the tournament.

“What a draw. Good job I know him very well,” he said. “I know his game very well, he knows me. We played pairs years ago, played in the same teams, I will need to play my best game without a doubt,” Evans said.

“It is a free shot. If he goes to that A place, I think I have got the A place to match, but he is a level above everyone at the moment.

“I reckon I can push him close if I can play my best. If I beat Luke Humphries I think there will be bigger shocks. For me I don’t think it would be a shock. Everyone else might, but I wouldn’t.”

There were also first-round wins for Connor Scutt, Darren Penhall, Scott Williams and Keane Barry.

Michael Smith is not ready to stop at winning just one World Championship title and wants to become a multiple champion.

The 33-year-old lifted the Sid Waddell Trophy for the first time in January after a stunning performance against Michael van Gerwen in the final, hitting a nine-dart finish in the greatest leg in the history of the sport.

He begins the defence of his crown on Friday night, playing against either Kevin Doets or Stowe Buntz, and is dreaming of joining Gary Anderson, Adrian Lewis, John Part and Peter Wright on two titles.

“I always wanted to be a world champion, now I have done it the dream is to be a multiple,” Smith told the PA news agency.

“I don’t want to finish my career with just one star on my chest, I don’t know how many I can get, but the minimum is two now. When I get to two the minimum will be three.

“I don’t feel the pressure but it is going to be like that. Everyone wants to take it off me, everyone playing wants to be world champion so I am going to have a target on my back.

“But whoever I am playing they are going to see a picture of me holding the trophy on the wall. It could either put them off or spur them on. But I know I can look at it and be spurred on.

“This is the one, you have got to bring your A-game, it is about bringing it on stage now. Once it clicks like it does in practice who knows what can happen. I can’t wait to get my hands on it again.”

Smith’s victory in the final contained the greatest leg in the history of the sport when ‘Bully Boy’ completed a nine-dart finish seconds after Van Gerwen had missed.

It produced some mesmeric television footage, with Sky Sports’ Wayne Mardle’s commentary going viral.

And Smith spent most of the early part of 2023 watching the leg back.

“That night I won it, I must have watched it 200 times,” he added. “Even the full match replay I have watched a couple of times. I’m trying to leave it in the past, I’m trying to focus on winning it again and then I can watch it all again. It has been good, weird, has been good.

“I lived my childhood dream but if I hadn’t have won it, it wouldn’t define my life. I am proud of winning it, but I am not going through life where I am thinking if I had never won it I wouldn’t have been successful.”

Gerwyn Price is also aiming for a second world title, but if he was to win, it would feel like a first.

His 2021 crown came behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic, so he is yet to taste the authentic experience.

“This is what we play all year for. We all want to win titles, but this is the main one,” he told the PA news agency.

“It’s a big tournament, everyone is looking forward to it, no-one wants to go out before Christmas so it is about getting that first round under your belt.

“Winning it behind closed doors, there was no atmosphere, lifting the trophy with no-one there, no friends, family or loved ones.

“Taking the trophy home and it sitting on the kitchen table for six months doesn’t really do it justice. It would be nice to win it again and be able to do it properly. It is something I want to do.”