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DAVE CHISNALL, Jelle Klaasen and Kim Huybrechts moved safely through round two of the William Hill World Championship and an impressive Max Hopp defeated Vincent van der Voort as the first round action reached its conclusion at Alexandra Palace on Thursday.

Number seven seed Chisnall saw off Austrian youngster Rowby-John Rodriguez in a thrilling encounter which went all the way to a deciding fifth set.

Chisnall, the runner-up in three televised events during 2016 including last month's Players Championship Finals, produced a sensational final set with legs of 11, 15 and 11 darts and finishes of 90, 117 and 96 to claim victory.

The number seven seed, whose nine 180s was the joint most in the first round, now moves through to a last 32 clash with Chris Dobey.

"Rowby-John played well but I managed to find a bit more in the locker," said Chisnall, who has yet to make it past the third round at Alexandra Palace.

"I think I'm in with a chance this year because I've reached two big finals and it has always taken Michael van Gerwen to beat me.

"I knew it was going to be tough against Rowby and it was, but I'm really pleased with my performance and happy to be through."

Klaasen won an all-Dutch clash against Jeffrey de Graaf in the night's opener, with the number ten seed triumphing by three sets to one.

Last year's semi-finalist Klaasen fired in six maximums and three ton-plus checkouts to book his place in the second round, where he will face Brendan Dolan.

"My doubles went well and I feel good," said Klaasen, the 2006 Lakeside Champion, who has won four PDC ranking titles.

"He played at a different speed to how I expected but I didn't let it affect my game and it will actually help me in my next match against Brendan."

Huybrechts, meanwhile, breezed past World Championship debutant Wilson in straight sets and averaged almost 99 in a strong performance.

The former World Cup of Darts and Players Championship finalist sealed the win with a stunning 138 finish as he began his bid to win a first televised title in style.

"I'm really happy," said Huybrechts, the former quarter-finalist, who lost in the first round last year. "To play James Wilson in the first round is not a present so I'm really delighted with how it went.

"I'm not setting any targets. I will just take it one game at a time and see how far I can get."

Huybrechts will now take on Hopp in round two after the German youngster sent 20th seed Vincent van der Voort crashing out of the £1.65 million tournament.

Ten percent of total ticket sales for this year's showpiece tournament have been sold to German fans and Hopp kept those fans at Alexandra Palace on Thursday happy with 3-1 success.

"I'm so glad with what I did," said 20-year old Hopp, the former PDC Unicorn World Youth Champion. "In my celebration you could see that I was fighting. I could hear the German fans supporting me.

"The crowd at Alexandra Palace is amazing, not just the German ones but all of them. I still get goose-bumps when I walk on."

Van der Voort admitted after the game that he is considering retiring from darts as he continues to struggle against a back injury, with the defeat possibly being his final Alexandra Palace appearance.

"This is probably my last one - the way I look at it now I'm ready to give in, because it's just hurting so much and I've done everything I could," said Van der Voort.

"I've been to physiotherapists, and so many different therapists and it's not getting every better, and it hurts so much that at one point you have to think about retiring. I put everything into the last two months to make the back better, and I don't know what more I can do."

The final day of pre-Christmas action takes place on Friday with the first six matches of the second round taking place.

Ian White takes on Wales' Jonny Clayton in the afternoon's opening tie, before Michael Smith meets Mervyn King and Benito van de Pas takes on veteran star Terry Jenkins.

Two-time and defending William Hill World Champion Gary Anderson returns to the stage on Saturday evening when he plays Andrew Gilding.

Fellow double World Champion Adrian Lewis goes up against Joe Cullen and Australia's Simon Whitlock takes on last month's Players Championship semi-finalist Darren Webster.