PDC World Darts Championship 2025: Day One Results, Luke Humphries Begins Title Defence

The festive magic of darts is back at Alexandra Palace, as the 2025 Paddy Power PDC World Darts Championship got off to a thrilling start. With a colossal £2.5 million prize fund, including a £500,000 winner’s cheque, the stakes couldn’t be higher for the 96 competitors vying for the iconic Sid Waddell Trophy.

Day one saw reigning champion Luke Humphries headline the action, beginning his quest to become only the fourth player in history to successfully defend his title. The evening featured three intense first-round clashes, followed by a gripping second-round showdown as the winner of Thibault Tricole vs. Joe Comito returned to face Humphries in the night’s final match.

With the doors of Ally Pally thrown open once more, the world’s biggest darts tournament delivered an opening night full of drama, precision, and festive excitement, setting the stage for what promises to be another unforgettable championship.

The tournament kicked off with France’s number one, Thibault Tricole, facing off against Alexandra Palace debutant Joe Comito, the DartPlayers Australia ProTour winner.

Tricole, a former Lakeside WDF World Championship finalist in 2022, entered as the clear favourite, especially after his stunning victory over ex-world champion Gerwyn Price at last month’s Players Championship Finals. 

The opening clash of the tournament failed to deliver fireworks, with neither player showcasing their best form. Both averaged around the low 80s, a stark contrast to the reigning champion Humphries' impressive seasonal average of 98.54. 

Despite this, Tricole made the stronger start, racing to a 2-0 set lead. Comito, nicknamed ‘The Waterboy,’ showed resilience on his Ally Pally debut, rallying to take the third set and keep the contest alive. 

Ultimately, the Frenchman’s experience on the big stage proved decisive. Tricole sealed a 3-1 victory, securing his place in the second round where he would later face Humphries in the night’s marquee match.

Jermaine Wattimena, known as "The Machine Gun," returned to the Alexandra Palace stage in blistering form, fresh off a runner-up finish at the European Championship in Dortmund and a quarter-final run at the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton.

His opponent, Stefan Bellmont, made history as the first Swiss player to compete at the PDC World Darts Championship. Despite the enormity of the occasion, Bellmont showed glimpses of promise but ultimately couldn’t match Wattimena’s firepower.

Living up to his rapid nickname, Wattimena delivered a dominant performance, firing his way to a swift 3-0 victory. The Dutchman’s near-100 average reflected the form that has made him a threat on the big stage this season, as he comfortably controlled the contest from start to finish.

Wattimena now marches into the second round, where a showdown with four-time semi-finalist James Wade awaits.

In his 14th consecutive appearance at the PDC World Darts Championship, Belgian ace Kim Huybrechts squared off against Ireland’s rising star Keane Barry, who, at just 22 years old, was making his sixth consecutive outing on the Alexandra Palace stage.

The match offered a fascinating clash of styles. Huybrechts showcased his trademark scoring power, taking the opening set with ease. However, Barry’s precision on the doubles proved decisive, as the Irishman delivered three stunning ton-plus checkouts, 112, 108, and 103, to wrest control of the match and move into a 2-1 lead.

Barry’s clinical finishing continued into the fourth set, as he closed out an impressive 3-1 victory over the former Premier League participant. The win sets up a daunting second-round encounter with world number one, Gerwyn Price.