Gary Anderson denies Jermaine Wattimena in World Darts Championship classic as Humphries holds off Clemens

Gary Anderson came through a tie break thriller to deny Jermaine Wattimena and progress to the Last 16 of the World Darts Championship on Sunday.

Two-time World Champion Anderson rolled back the years with another vintage display to edge out the resilient Dutchman in a seven-set epic at Alexandra Palace.

The Scot missed double 12 for a nine-darter during a pulsating encounter in which he missed three match darts for a 4-1 victory before seeing Wattimena battle back to force a decoder.

Anderson, who crashed in 14 maximums, eventually held his nerve to get over the line 5-3 in the tie break with a 102.2 average, and confessed: “I bottled it a few times in that game!”

“I could have had that wrapped up at 4-1 quite easily, but he got the better of me… we won’t talk about double 12!

“I can still play. Now that my son is playing darts, it still gives me a buzz to play.

“Michael [Van Gerwen] knows what he’s going to get with me. I’ve known him for a long time. It depends which Michael turns up!”

Meanwhile, 2024 World Champion Luke Humphries held off a gallant late fightback from Gabriel Clemens to seal a 4-2 win in a high quality contest.

Humphries coasted into a 2-0 lead before producing a 12-dart break in the deciding leg of the third set to extend his advantage.

However, Clemens – who became the first German to average above 100 at the World Championship – launched an astounding comeback.

The former Ally Pally semi-finalist produced checkouts of 81, 121 and 116 to win the fourth set in straight legs before winning a set-deciding leg to reduce the deficit to 3-2.

Clemens then led 2-1 in an incredibly tense sixth set, but Humphries broke throw with a composed 50 checkout after the German missed three set darts, before taking out a fantastic 12-dart hold on 81 to win an epic.

“I didn’t expect that onslaught from Gabriel, he was the better player in the last three sets,” admitted Humphries.

“You have to give credit to Gabriel because he pushed me and put me under pressure. He made me flustered and that’s what you need to do to me and Luke Littler.

“If it went to 3-3, he would have had the initiative. I’m really, really proud of myself how I took out the 50 and then the 81 in the final set.

“It gave me an eye-opener. You have to stand up and ask what version of you will come out. I knew that the version where I didn’t panic was there, and that’s what you need to be World Champion.”

Michael van Gerwen was another former World Champion to progress to the Last 16 as he dismissed Arno Merk 4-1 to set up a mouth-watering clash with rival Anderson.

The Dutch superstar eased into a two-set lead, though Merk fabulously converted checkouts of 145, 120 and 67 to get off the mark in the third set.

However, Van Gerwen remained unfazed, winning six of the final eight legs to progress comfortably with a 99.7 average and nine 180s to his name.

“Overall I put in a decent performance,” said Van Gerwen.

“In patches I played some really good darts, and with that in your mind, you know you are capable of doing more.

“I’m really looking forward to playing Gary. When you play him, there’s always room for fireworks.

“I think it will be one of the best games to watch in the next round.”

Tenth seed Gian van Veen continued to break new ground by storming to a 4-1 rout of Madars Razma.

The reigning European Champion cruised to the first three sets, and despite losing the fourth set in straight legs to the Latvian number one, Van Veen steamrolled the last set and sealed victory with a clinical 125 checkout.

Rob Cross produced another solid performance to thrash a wasteful Damon Heta in four sets and confirm a Last 16 showdown with defending champion Luke Littler.

The 2018 World Champion survived set darts from Heta in sets two and three before duly completing the whitewash in the fourth.

Meanwhile, Ryan Searle produced his best average (102.29) on the Ally Pally stage to date, demolishing a struggling Martin Schindler 4-0.

The Somerset star capitalised on a dreadful early display of doubling from the German number one, reeling off the last nine legs on the spin to close out an emphatic whitewash for the loss of just two legs.

World Darts Championship 2025/26 Day 15 Results

Sunday December 28

Third Round

Afternoon Session
Martin Schindler 0-4 Ryan Searle
Damon Heta 0-4 Rob Cross
Gary Anderson 4-3 Jermaine Wattimena

Evening Session
Gian van Veen 4-1 Madars Razma
Luke Humphries 4-2 Gabriel Clemens
Michael van Gerwen 4-1 Arno Merk