PDC World Darts Championship - World Darts Championship
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by Devesh Jaganath | in PDC World Darts Championship Predictions
Day 2 at the 2026 PDC World Darts Championship kicks off with Niels Zonneveld taking on Haupai Puha. The winner of this match between Triple Z and Hopes will meet either Michael Smith or Lisa Ashton in the second round. Let’s get into the match prediction.
Niels Zonneveld returns to Alexandra Palace hoping for a better showing than last year, when he was eliminated in the first round by Riobert Owen 3-1.
Triple Z has not won a major televised title, but he did reach the Players Championship 22 final and picked up an impressive victory over veteran James Wade 6-2 at the 2025 German Darts Grand Prix.
Zonneveld lost in the first round of the PC finals last month and has split his last 10 matches across all competitions, five wins and five defeats.
Meanwhile, after failing to qualify for this tournament last year, Haupai Puha is now set to make his third career appearance. He has yet to win a match at the World Championships.
Hopes has claimed DPNZ ProTour titles this year. He also pushed Luke Littler to a declining leg at the 2025 Australian Darts Masters but ultimately lost to the world number one, 6-5.
However, the New Zealander has not been in the best form lately, losing each of his last six matches ahead of this one.
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Niels Zonneveld - Haupai Puha Key Points
- Niels Zonneveld is ranked 53 places above this opponent.
- Niels Zonneveld has won three of his four previous matches against this opponent.
- Haupai Puha has never won a match at the World Championships.
- Haupai Puha is on a six-match losing streak.
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Our Niels Zonneveld vs Haupai Puha Prediction
Niels Zonneveld has had a solid year, reaching a Players Championship final while picking up a few notable results at the German Darts Grand Prix and European Tour Swiss Darts Trophy.
The Dutchman also has greater experience at the Ally Pally, which is another major factor. Despite a few strong performances earlier in the season, Haupai Puha has not been at his best lately, and we feel he will bow out at this first hurdle. Our Niels Zonneveld vs Haupai Puha prediction is Niels Zonneveld wins.
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All tips are fully researched and given in good faith, but profits cannot be guaranteed.
