Overview
- Defending champion Luke Littler swept Mensur Suljovic 4–0 with a 107.09 three‑dart average and 70.6% on doubles, a personal World Championship best, to set up a last‑16 tie against Rob Cross or Damon Heta.
- Krzysztof Ratajski rallied from 1–3 down to beat Wesley Plaisier 4–3, checking 116 for the match after Plaisier missed three match darts, and became the first player into the last 16.
- Sweden’s Andreas Harrysson eliminated Germany’s Ricardo Pietreczko 4–2, leaving Martin Schindler, Gabriel Clemens and Arno Merk as the remaining German contenders, while Pietreczko declined post‑match interviews.
- World No. 4 Stephen Bunting exited 3–4 to James Hurrell, continuing a run of early departures for top‑16 seeds that has reshaped the late‑tournament bracket.
- Joe Cullen reiterated claims that Suljovic’s stage behavior amounts to cheating, which Suljovic rejected in fresh remarks after losing to Littler.