Evening session results: Gian van Veen 4-1 Madars Razma, Luke Humphries 4-2 Gabriel Clemens, Michael van Gerwen 4-1 Arno Merk
Afternoon session results: Martin Schindler 0-4 Ryan Searle, Damon Heta 0-4 Rob Cross, Gary Anderson 4-3 Jermaine Wattimena
Cross sets up last-16 tie against defending champion Luke Littler
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Heta 0-1 Cross (1-3)
Image source, PA MediaIt is a particularly lively crowd in Ally Pally today. Start as you mean to go on, I suppose.
A leg of 59 from Heta gives Cross a chance to steal here, the Englishman moving ahead against the darts and getting to a finish first.
Cross needs 52... sealed. Good stuff so far.
Heta 0-0 Cross (1-2)
Rob Cross started the year as world number four; he's now 21st in the world and 17th seed here. It has been a tough 2025 for Voltage.
He sets himself a 78 finish, which he gets a go at after Heta can't catch the Big Fish.
T18, single 12 leaves D6 - nailed. Vintage Voltage.
Heta 0-0 Cross (1-1)
Image source, PA MediaDamon Heta aims for a 167 checkout, but falls short. However Rob Cross cannot capitalise with a 134.
The Australian holds.
Heta 0-0 Cross (0-1)
A solid start for Rob Cross, who has spoken this year about his issues with mental health.
He holds with 49 - he needed 18 darts including two at D16, but he's on the board.
Heta 0-0 Cross (0-0)
Laura Turner
Ex-Women's World Championship quarter-finalist on Sky Sports
This feels like a real opportunity for one of these players.
Heta 0-0 Cross (0-0)
Rob Cross throws first, and hits a ton. A reminder that Martin Schindler hit 180 to start his match though, so it can't be taken as too much of a sign.
Heta v Cross
Laura Turner
Ex-Women's World Championship quarter-finalist on Sky Sports
Damon Heta v Rob Cross is a coin-toss to be honest. It depends which version of each player turns up.
Image source, PA MediaNo player has thrown a nine-dart leg so far in the 2026 World Championship - the least darts possible to win a leg.
Australia's Damon Heta is the most recent man to do so at Ally Pally - he hit one in the third round of 2025, albeit in a defeat as he went out to Luke Woodhouse.
Will Heta go back to back, and break the 2026 duck?
Heta v Cross
Right, let's see if match two can live up to that.
On paper it should be a really close one - it is the 16th vs 17th seed.
Damon Heta is capable of magic, Rob Cross is a former world champion. But both have struggled for form in recent seasons, so this is a hard one to predict.
And remember, the winner plays Luke Littler in round four.
Schindler 0-4 Searle
John Part
Former PDC world champion on Sky Sports
Image source, PA MediaRyan Searle just steamed through the end of the match - his scoring and finishing was good.
There will be a lot for Martin Schindler to think about there. He just didn't get the building blocks of the doubles in play. There is a lot for him to think about.
Schindler 0-4 Searle
Ryan Searle talking to Sky Sports: "I've been playing well in practice and it was about time it came out on stage. I felt alright. There's more to come. There's loads more to come. It's not an easy place to play proper darts with this crowd, it's easier at home in your safe space.
"I've switched darts and they are going really well. The sky is the limit with these new darts. They felt good instantly. It's really nothing to do with the darts, it's about self-confidence. I am feeling good and I'm looking to push on."
On James Hurrell, who he'll play in the last 16: "He played so well last night. I kept my eye on tat game. He played really well but Stephen didn't play his best, but James could have won it pretty comfortably."
All six of the winners on Saturday averaged over 95 in their matches, which was a big step up from pre-Christmas.
And now Ryan Searle has knocked in the sixth-best average of the tournament so far.
We are into the serious business now.
Fourth seed Stephen Bunting is the highest-ranked player eliminated from the tournament so far - but he is far from alone in being among the big names to bite the dust.
13th-seed Martin Schindler has just joined him, demolished by Ryan Searle who is seven places lower in the rankings.
So while you might expect the 16 highest seeds to all be in contention for the last 16, the reality is far from it.
Here are the players in the top 16 who have exited before round four:
Schindler 0-4 Searle
Ryan Searle will face James Hurrell in round four, the winner of that plays Jonny Clayton or Andreas Harrysson in the quarter-finals.
That is an exceptionally open section of the draw.
Schindler 0-4 Searle
John Part
Former PDC world champion on Sky Sports
Ryan Searle got momentum in set two and never looked back. He was really impressive.
Schindler 0-4 Searle
Four successive sets, nine straight legs. That was truly impressive from Ryan Searle.
A dark horse for the tournament perhaps?
Schindler 0-4 Searle (0-3)
Oh my word, Ryan Searle nails both T20s then lands his third in 25. That would have been quite something.
Instead, Searle returns to clean up doubles and seal perhaps the most one-sided win of the tournament so far.
Schindler 0-3 Searle (0-2)
Searle is averaging 109.50 in set four so far. Any darts player would kill for those numbers.
He has set himself up 170 to wrap it all up...
Schindler 0-3 Searle (0-2)
Searle backs up his latest leg with a 180. He is playing beautifully.
Martin Schindler chucks three darts into fives. He is having a nightmare.
His opponent knocks in tops and is on the verge of a comprehensive triumph.