PDC World Darts Championship 2025: Christian Kist hits nine-darter but beaten
The Dutchman is the first player to seal a perfect leg in the tournament since Michael Smith when beating Michael van Gerwen in the 2023 final.
Kist, the 2012 BDO world champion at Lakeside, collects £60,000 for the feat, with the same amount being awarded by sponsors to a charity and to one spectator inside Alexandra Palace in London.
The 38-year-old’s brilliant finish sealed the opening set, but his Latvian opponent bounced back to win 3-2.
Darts is one of the few sports that can measure perfection; snooker has the 147 maximum break, golf has the hole-in-one, darts has the nine-dart finish.
Kist scored two maximum 180s to leave a 141 checkout which he completed with a double 12, to the delight of more than 3,000 spectators.
Earlier, Jim Williams was favourite against Paolo Nebrida but lost 3-2 in an epic lasting more than an hour.
The Filipino took a surprise 2-1 lead and Williams only went ahead for the first time in the opening leg of the deciding set. The Welshman looked set for victory but missed five match darts.