German Players Face Mixed Results at Darts World Championship

Florian Hempel advances to the second round, while Gabriel Clemens, Kai Gotthardt, and Niko Springer face early exits in London.

Florian Hempel progresses to the second round after defeating Jeffrey de Zwaan 3:1 and will face Daryl Gurney on December 23.
Gabriel Clemens, a former semifinalist, exits in the second round after a 1:3 loss to Welsh player Robert Owen, drawing criticism and online abuse.
Debutant Kai Gotthardt narrowly misses an upset against Stephen Bunting, losing 1:3 after a strong start in the second round.
Niko Springer impresses in his debut with a strong performance but falls short against Scott Williams, losing 1:3 in the first round.
Former world champion Michael Smith suffers a shocking second-round defeat to Kevin Doets, marking one of the tournament's biggest upsets so far.