PDC World Championship 2024: Reigning champion Michael Smith survives opening-night scare from Kevin Doets

Reigning champion Michael Smith avoided a seismic shock on the opening night of the 2024 PDC World Darts Championship after coming from behind to beat world number 66 Kevin Doets.

Smith, who beat Michael van Gerwen to lift his maiden world title in January, fell two sets to one behind to the Dutch outsider.

But the world number one fought back to triumph 3-2 at Alexandra Palace.

"I had to keep battling and keep fighting," Smith told Sky Sports.

"And I managed to fall over the line."

Doets, 25, had booked a meeting with Smith by beating American Stowe Buntz 3-0 in his first-round qualifier earlier on Friday evening.

And he threatened a big surprise by averaging more than 101 across the opening three sets of a high-quality encounter.

Smith, 33, was in danger of becoming the first defending PDC champion to be knocked out in his opening match since John Part in 2009.

However, he twice broke throw in set four to level the match before a superb 142 checkout in the opening game of the deciding set turned matters fully into Smith's favour.

"I think I played well for the last six, seven, eight legs," Smith added.

Former finalist Simon Whitlock also edged through on opening night as he too recovered from a set down to beat the Philippines' Paolo Nebrida 3-2.

The Australian next faces two-time former champion Gary Anderson.

Cameron Menzies, a part-time player and plumber, was working in a bathroom, external hours before his opening match but still cruised through round one in impressive fashion.

The 34-year-old Scot, the partner of Fallon Sherrock, who starts her campaign on Monday, beat Austria's Rusty-Jake Rodriguez 3-0 to set up a second-round meeting on Saturday with 11th seed Dave Chisnall.

"I never thought this would happen. I was really panicky today," he said. "I was working but it kind of chilled me out, it made me realise that darts is a hobby and a very lucky one, too.

"My job is basically burst pipes and blocked drains, it's not pretty.

"I would like to be in a situation where I can give up my job and do this full-time, but I have a long way to go.

"I was so nervous, I knew that game meant a lot. What happens now is a bonus but winning that game meant the world to me.

Menzies admitted that he was happy to avoid Sherrock in the draw.

"You don't understand how many issues we had," he said. "She went down for the draw, I was on the computer going, 'Please'. There's a handful of players you don't want to draw and Fallon is up there.

"I play Fallon in the house and I beat her eight times out of 10 but she has a moment when she smashes me, which is fair enough.

"I know for a fact up there on the stage she would batter me. It's her stage. Rusty is a very good player but I would take him over Fallon in a heartbeat."