Overview
- Lim defeated Jeffrey de Graaf 3-1 in the first round at Alexandra Palace to extend his age record for a match win at the event.
- The Singaporean averaged 86.52 to de Graaf’s 86.88, taking the opening set, slipping to 1-1, then edging two last‑leg deciders.
- His win confirmed a second‑round meeting with Luke Humphries, who beat Ted Evetts 3-1 and hit eight 180s.
- Lim thanked the Ally Pally crowd and said Humphries "can be beaten," while Humphries praised Lim as a legend and noted the crowd will likely favor him.
- Reports differ on Lim’s career world championship appearance tally, though his résumé spans back to 1982 and includes the first world‑championship nine‑darter in 1990.