Two-time champion Peter Wright won his opening game at the PDC World Championship, while Ryan Meikle edged out Fallon Sherrock to set up a match against teenage prodigy Luke Littler.

Scotland’s Wright, the 2020 and 2022 winner, has been out of form this year, but overcame Wesley Plaisier 3-1 in the second round at Alexandra Palace in London.

Meikle came from a set down to claim a 3-2 victory in his first-round match against Sherrock, who was the first woman to win matches at the tournament five years ago.

The 28-year-old will now play on Saturday against Littler, who was named BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year and runner-up in the main award to athlete Keely Hodgkinson on Tuesday night.

Littler, 17, will be competing on the Ally Pally stage for the first time since his rise to stardom when finishing runner-up in January’s world final to Luke Humphries.

Earlier on Tuesday, World Grand Prix champion Mike de Decker – the 24th seed – suffered a surprise defeat to Luke Woodhouse in the second round.

He is the second seed to exit following 16th seed James Wade’s defeat on Monday to Jermaine Wattimena, who meets Wright in round three.

Kevin Doets recovered from a set down to win 3-1 against Noa-Lynn van Leuven, who was making history as the first transgender woman to compete in the tournament.