Joy and relief for Ricky Evans

Darts results: Ricky Evans beats James Wade 6-4 in final set of Ally Pally thriller

By Sporting Life

Darts

Mon December 22, 2025 · 7h ago

Rapid Ricky Evans finally shook off the persistent challenge of James Wade to win a five-set thriller in sudden death.

Evans had missed seven match darts before pinning double 16 to close out the deciding set 6-4, just avoiding a one-leg shootout against an opponent who refused to give in.

Wade had one match dart of his own but missed tops to offer a lifeline to Evans, who by then should already have closed the door only to repeatedly leave it ajar.

But in the end it was a series of big finishes in the final set that sealed the victory, beginning with 144 followed by 89, then 80 to break and 99 to finally end it.

Wade had needed 90 for the match in leg eight but came missed double 10, then missed tops to hold throw, and could only watch as Evans' eighth match dart proved the winning one.

EVANS KNOCKS OUT WADE ❌

It is an absolute THRILLER at Alexandra Palace as Ricky Evans beats James Wade in a tie-break!

Drama to the last dart!

📺 https://t.co/59TualjgND #WCDarts | R2 pic.twitter.com/MIx7QfEmhk
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 22, 2025

"Imagine coming to darts and winning 3-0, what's the point? Make it interesting!" exclaimed Evans.

"It makes it exciting. What's the point in playing boring? Throw slow, throw fast... make it interesting. I say it every year: I'm weird, but I'm box office.

"I literally thought 'you've had your chance here'. Oh well, who's still going?"

Evans also paid tribute to his late sister, who passed away earlier in the year.

"I don't want to get too emotional. My sister hit that double for me there. Elisha, we're going girl, we're going!"

Earlier, David Munyua was unable to repeat his first-round heroics against Kevin Doets, although five 180s for the Kenyan gave his new followers plenty to cheer in an otherwise straightforward 3-0 win for Doets.

Wessel Nijman however was a major disappointment, unable to produce a single break of throw on his way to a 3-0 defeat to Gabriel Clemens.

Nijman produced a 116 finish in the very first leg of the match but things went south from there as the supposed dark horse couldn't break into a canter.

Earlier, Madars Razma proved too smart for Darren Beveridge, winning 3-1 in a game of quality finishing.

Van Veen gets motoring

In the evening, Gian van Veen confirmed himself a potential threat to the favourites with a 3-1 victory over Alan Soutar.

Van Veen won the final seven legs of the match and averaged a tournament-high 108.28 thanks to seven maximums and some ruthless checkouts, including a 170 to win set three and take the lead.

From there the young Dutchman barely gave Soutar a sniff and on this evidence he could be a major stumbling block for Luke Humphries should they meet in the quarter-finals.

Humphries was also in action and for a time threatened to post a similarly lofty number, in the end settling for a regulation 3-0 victory over septuagenarian Paul Lim.

Humphries averaged over 115 in set two but his performance rather fizzled out, which allowed Lim to get a leg on the board without ever threatening a comeback.

Nathan Aspinall was also untroubled in a 3-0 cruise past Leonard Gates.