Singapore stalwart Paul Lim became the oldest player to win a match at the World Darts Championship when the 71-year-old beat Jeffrey de Graaf 3-1 at Alexandra Palace in London on Saturday.

Lim, who famously thew the first world championship nine-darter way back in 1990, eclipsed the mark set by Northern Irishman John MaGowan who beat Chris Mason in December 2008, aged 67.

¡°A moment like this has kept me going for all these years,¡± said Lim.

¡°The standard of play nowadays is not like how it was before. This tournament is the Super Bowl of darts so I would say this is a good moment.¡±

Lim will face 2024 world champion Luke Humphries, 41 years his junior, in the second round.

Lim beat Humphries when the pair last met in the championships five years ago.

¡°I hope on a given day it can happen again,¡± said Lim, who will turn 72 next month.

¡°I never give up. He is good but he can be beaten.¡±