Multiple PDC major winner, James Wade did not hang around, marching calmly into round two of the 2026 World Championship, brushing aside Japan’s Ryusei Azemoto with the sort of ruthless efficiency that has defined his entire career.
For a man who has somehow found himself dumped out before Christmas in each of the last three years, this was a necessary correction to the timeline. No drama. No chaos. No wobble. Azemoto snuck a single leg in the opening set and that was as good as it got. From there, Wade took control with the quiet authority of a man who has been here, done it, and won almost everything there is to win.
Mid-90s average. Just under 40 percent on the doubles. Classic Machine numbers. And crucially, it never felt like he needed to access top gear. The throttle stayed half-open because it did not need to be floored. Ricky Evans awaits next. Pace versus patience.
Over in the battle of North America, the Stars and Stripes emerged on top as Adam Sevada edged out Canadian number one Matt Campbell in the opening match of the evening. A guaranteed representative in round two was always the prize. The cost, inevitably, was someone’s campaign ending. For Campbell, the defeat is doubly cruel. The Ginger Ninja bows out of the tournament and, with it, loses his professional status. For Sevada, the reward is survival, momentum, and another crack at the Ally Pally spotlight as he prepares to face the impressive Charlie Manby.
Two sets in, this one was balanced on a knife-edge. Quality bubbling. Nothing separating them. Then came the moment. The deciding leg of the third set. Campbell had the darts. Opportunity knocking. And then… nothing. Sevada, by contrast, did what he had done all night – he did not miss. Once again, the outer ring surrendered, and you could see the shift immediately.
Confidence drained from the Canadian. Belief surged in the American. From there, Sevada sensed blood. He finished the job soon after. North America will be represented in round two. That much was guaranteed. The question now is how far the CDC number one can really go.
There was no miracle for the Barney Army. Raymond van Barneveld’s final Ally Pally appearance of this campaign ended in straight sets at the hands of Switzerland’s Stefan Bellmont.
Neither player burst out of the blocks, but when the chances arrived, Bellmont was flawless. Three darts at doubles. Three hits. Set one gone.The second set will haunt the great Dutchman. Barney was by far the stronger scorer, rolling back the years in patches, but every visit to the outer ring betrayed him.
Bellmont punished every miss, doubled the lead, and suddenly stood one set from victory. Barneveld continued to score well in the third, but Bellmont stayed stride for stride and was almost always first to the finish.
Creating chances is one thing. Taking them is everything. The five-time world champion generated one chance and took it. Bellmont generated a dozen – and landed the three that mattered. Job done. Damon Heta awaits the Swiss.
It is a painful exit for a man who has reached the semi-final stage or beyond on seven occasions and famously lifted the trophy in what remains the greatest World Championship final ever played – the last-leg epic against Phil Taylor. That was then. His final meaningful run came in 2018, ended in the quarter-finals by Michael van Gerwen.
And then, to close the night, Germany’s number one delivered a statement. Martin Schindler produced a sensational second-half performance to dismantle Stephen Burton. The Wall took the opening set with authority, Burton hit back to level, and then the floodgates opened.
From that point on, there was only one man in control. Six straight legs. Heavy scoring. Clinical finishing. Shindi on fire. He now waits to discover his round two opponent, set to face the winner of the final first-round clash between Keane Barry and Tim Pusey.
From tomorrow, and right through to the Christmas break, it is double-session territory.
WEDNESDAY 17th DECEMBER – Evening Session Report
Matt Campbell 1-3 Adam Sevada
Raymond van Barneveld 0-3 Stefan Bellmont
James Wade 3-0 Ryusei Azemoto
Martin Schindler 3-1 Stephen Burton
—-Ends—–
Images: PDC
