The opening round of the Betfred World Matchplay has seen top seeds sent tumbling, and fresh contenders are seizing the spotlight.
The heaviest blow came on the opening night (July 19th), as Gian van Veen produced a statement victory over defending champion and world No. 1 Luke Humphries.
Despite Humphries landing a sublime 146 checkout early on and trailing by just one at 3-2, his doubling proved unreliable - he hit just 29 per cent on attempts - and that proved pivotal, with nearly 20 doubles missed.
With the match poised at 7-7, Humphries missed three darts at double five, allowing Van Veen to break and then seal a 10-8 win on double four.
The Dutchman later admitted the victory "feels like the biggest win of my career."
Humphries was visibly rattled, his frustration spilling over when he berated a whistling spectator mid-leg - an outburst that became emblematic of his unravel.
Also on opening night, Wessel Nijman announced his arrival with a polished 10-6 win over 2023 champion Nathan Aspinall.
Nijman raced to a 4-1 lead early on and, after a brief revival from Aspinall - including a 121 checkout - the debutant closed out the match with calm and precision, finishing on double eight.
And then there was James Wade, who looked in fine form as he dismantled Joe Cullen 10-3, registering a tournament-best average of 104.4 as the fan favourite looks to regain his spot amongst the sport's true elites.
In Saturday's afternoon session, four seeds fell: Damon Heta, Rob Cross, Peter Wright and Dave Chisnall all exited to lower-ranked opponents, meaning Blackpool is already on course for a new champion.
The evening session showcased contrasting styles. Dutchman Danny Noppert brushed aside Cameron Menzies 10-2, though the attention-grabber was Menzies' bizarre bust on 178 after purposely playing a 180 - an error and viral moment that left pundits incredulous.
But the night ultimately belonged to Luke Littler. The teenage world champion - debuting a new shirt - asserted his class with a crushing 10-2 win over Ryan Searle, averaging close to 109 and finishing with a composed 126 checkout - an emphatic response to anyone questioning his pedigree.
Gary Anderson and Jonny Clayton also emerged victorious, securing their spots in round two with wins over Luke Woodhouse and Martin Schindler respectively, while Stephen Bunting dutifully dispatched Ryan Joyce 10-8.
Next up is a tantalising second-round clash between van Veen and Noppert - two Dutchmen high in confidence after their monumental victories. Littler, meanwhile, awaits the winner of Wattimena and Clayton.