Big wins for Michael Smith and Raymond van Barneveld as Players Championship 22 gets underway

Michael Smith and Raymond van Barneveld are among the first names to qualify for the second round at the 22nd Players Championship tournament of the season on Tuesday afternoon.

Van Barneveld recorded a convincing victory over Christian Perez. The 57-year-old Dutchman won the first three legs of the match and then ran out to a 5-1 lead. Perez then grabbed one more leg before Van Barneveld set the final score at 6-2 with a 14-darter. Smith meanwhile took a 6-3 triumph over Brett Claydon in his opening round encounter.

Elsewhere, familiar names such as Dimitri van den Bergh, Dirk van Duijvenbode, Ryan Joyce, Joe Cullen, Andrew Gilding and Luke Woodhouse were all eliminated in the first round, while Brendan Dolan, Cameron Menzies, Mensur Suljovic and James Wade did make it through the first round.

Earlier in the day it was announced that Michael van Gerwen had to withdraw from the 22nd Players Championship tournament in Leicester due to illness. The 35-year-old Dutchman was scheduled to play Jules van Dongen in the first round. The cancellation of 'Mighty Mike' gave Van Dongen a bye to the second round.