The Alexandra Palace crowd witnessed a World Darts Championship classic on December 28, 2025, as Gary Anderson survived a nerve-shredding third-round tiebreak to edge out Jermaine Wattimena 4-3. This afternoon session at Ally Pally delivered drama, high scoring, and a dash of déjà vu, with Anderson repeating his 2018-19 feat of knocking out Wattimena by the same scoreline in the same round. For the 55-year-old Scot, the win kept his hopes of a third world title alive and set up the tantalizing possibility of a quarterfinal showdown with Michael van Gerwen.
Anderson, twice a world champion, started the match with determination, taking the opening set as Wattimena struggled to find his range on the doubles. But the Dutchman, no stranger to high-pressure situations, responded in kind, leveling the contest at one set apiece with a burst of heavy scoring and rapid legs—each averaging just about a minute and a half. The pace was relentless, and the pair traded ton-plus finishes, including a 101 and a 124 checkout from Anderson, setting a blistering standard for the afternoon.
The third set saw Anderson pull away with a sequence of 12, 11, and 15-dart legs, showcasing the kind of form that has made him a perennial threat on the Ally Pally stage. He moved within a set of victory after Wattimena missed a dart at double 10 that could have tied things up. At 3-1 up, Anderson looked poised to close out the match with minimal fuss. But as so often happens in darts, the script flipped dramatically.
Wattimena, 37, capitalized on Anderson’s missed doubles—two crucial darts at a double went astray—and began mounting a comeback that electrified the crowd. The Dutchman’s composure under pressure was impressive, as he kept his nerve with last-dart doubles to claw back into contention, forcing the match into a deciding set. With both players locked at three sets each, and the tension mounting, a tiebreak was required to separate them.
The final set was a microcosm of the match’s drama. Anderson, sensing the moment, came agonizingly close to a nine-dart finish, only to miss double 12 at the end of what might have been the most electric leg of the session. Wattimena, not to be outdone, wired double 13 for a 146 checkout, missing his own chance at a show-stopping finish. Ultimately, Anderson found enough resolve to pin double 1, regaining the lead and finally holding off Wattimena’s remarkable comeback. He sealed victory with his sixth match dart, ending a contest that featured a staggering 24 180s and lasted just under an hour.
After the match, a visibly relieved Anderson admitted, “That’s no good for my age – I’ll tell you. I went 3-1 up and I think I missed two darts at a double and then Jermaine just got on a roll. It was hard, especially with the crowd on you. Yeah, what a game.” He added, “I’m going to go and lie down now. I bottled it [a chance at a nine-darter]. Like I bottled a lot of doubles there. I was getting a bit excited. It’s not often I get excited up there. Panic stations were settling in. My scoring picked up, so that’s what helped me. Get the stretcher ready. The old heart was pounding. Listen, that’s what it is all about – and it has been for the last 30 years. I still enjoy it.”
The mutual respect between the two players was evident at the end, with Wattimena lifting Anderson’s arm aloft in recognition of a World Darts Championship classic. The pair shared a hug as the Ally Pally crowd responded with a standing ovation, fully aware they had witnessed one of the matches of the tournament so far.
This wasn’t the first time Anderson and Wattimena had played out a 4-3 thriller at Ally Pally. Seven years ago, in the 2018-19 World Darts Championship, Anderson edged Wattimena by the same score and in the same round, requiring a tiebreak after both had taken three sets apiece. History repeated itself in dramatic fashion, with Anderson’s experience and resilience once again proving decisive.
Earlier in the session, the crowd saw two more one-sided affairs. Ryan Searle, the No20 seed, blitzed Germany’s Martin Schindler 4-0 in just 23 minutes, dropping only two legs and showing the kind of form that could take him deep into the tournament. Searle’s performance included a superb 151 checkout and relentless accuracy on double top. He’s yet to drop a set at this year’s championship and will face James Hurrell in the fourth round. Searle credited his relaxed approach—playing Call of Duty on his Xbox between matches—for helping him stay sharp and focused.
Rob Cross, the 2018 world champion, delivered a clinical display to dismiss Australia’s Damon Heta 4-0, capitalizing on Heta’s missed doubles throughout the match. Cross averaged around 94, compared to Heta’s similar scoring, but the Englishman was far more efficient on the outer ring, hitting 46% of his doubles. Afterward, Cross reflected on his recent struggles, telling Sky Sports, “Luke Littler is the best player in the world at the minute for a reason. I think he was always daring to dream because he’s always been that good. I won’t worry. I’m going to play darts and if I can get a little bit of magic out of myself, then who knows.” Cross now faces a blockbuster fourth-round clash with Luke Littler, who posted the tournament’s highest average so far—an eye-watering 107.09—in his straight-sets win over Mensur Suljovic.
The afternoon’s action set the stage for a thrilling conclusion to the World Darts Championship. The updated fourth-round bracket shows Anderson potentially facing Michael van Gerwen in the quarterfinals, should both men progress. Meanwhile, Searle’s eye-catching form and Cross’ resurgence add further intrigue to the tournament narrative. With the likes of Luke Humphries, Gabriel Clemens, Gian van Veen, and Arno Merk still to play in the evening session, the championship remains wide open and full of possibilities.
As the dust settled on an unforgettable session, Anderson’s heart may still have been pounding, but his championship dream is very much alive. With the standard set sky-high and the crowd roaring for more, Ally Pally is once again the center of the darts universe—and the best may be yet to come.