PDC World Darts Championship 2025 results: Christian Kist hits nine-darter but beaten

Christian Kist hit a nine-darter but lost his PDC World Championship first-round match to Madars Razma.

The Dutchman became the first player to seal a perfect leg in the tournament since Michael Smith did so on the way to 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.

Two-time semi-finalist Nathan Aspinall dug in to overcome American Leonard Gates 3-1.

The English 12th seed, who has been troubled by wrist and back injuries, could next play Andrew Gilding in the third round – which begins on 27 December – should Gilding beat the winner of Martin Lukeman’s match against qualifier Nitin Kumar.

Aspinall faces a tough task to reach the last four again, with 2018 champion Rob Cross and 2024 runner-up Luke Littler both in his side of the draw.