PDC World Championship 2024: Reigning champion Michael Smith survives opening-night scare from Kevin Doets

Michael Smith threw just five 180s, compared to Kevin Doets’ nine, during their encounter

Reigning champion Michael Smith avoided a seismic shock on the opening night of the 2024 PDC World Darts Championship after coming from behind to beat world number 66 Kevin Doets.

Smith, who beat Michael van Gerwen to lift his maiden world title in January, fell two sets to one behind to the Dutch outsider.

But the world number one fought back to triumph 3-2 at Alexandra Palace.

“I had to keep battling and keep fighting,” Smith told Sky Sports.

“And I managed to fall over the line.”

Doets, 25, had booked a meeting with Smith by beating American Stowe Buntz 3-0 in his first-round qualifier earlier on Friday evening.

And he threatened a big surprise by averaging more than 101 across the opening three sets of a high-quality encounter.

Smith, 33, was in danger of becoming the first defending PDC champion to be knocked out in his opening match since John Part in 2009.

However, he twice broke throw in set four to level the match before a superb 142 checkout in the opening game of the deciding set turned matters fully into Smith’s favour.

“I think I played well for the last six, seven, eight legs,” Smith added.

Former finalist Simon Whitlock also edged through on opening night as he too recovered from a set down to beat the Philippines’ Paolo Nebrida 3-2.

The Australian next faces two-time former champion Gary Anderson.

Cameron Menzies, a part-time player and plumber, was working in a bathroom hours before his opening match but still cruised through round one in impressive fashion.

The 34-year-old Scot beat Austria’s Rusty-Jake Rodriguez 3-0 to set up a second-round meeting on Saturday with 11th seed Dave Chisnall.