World No 1 Luke Humphries admits it will be impossible to replicate last year’s darting dominance ahead of his World Grand Prix defence.
World champion Humphries produced a stunning spell during the latter stages of 2023, before fulfilling his darting destiny at Alexandra Palace in January.
The world No 1 scooped three televised ranking titles during a 49-day spell from October to November 2023, following up his World Grand Prix success with wins at the Grand Slam of Darts and Players Championship Finals.
Humphries has gone from strength to strength, with his World Championship triumph elevating him to the top of the game.
“The World Grand Prix will always hold great memories for me,” said Humphries, who goes by the moniker ‘Cool Hand’.
“The fact it was my first major tournament win makes it special, and it was the catalyst to allow me to go on and win everything else.
“If I didn’t win the World Grand Prix, the last 12 months could have been completely different for me, but it gave me the confidence to win a lot more, and I’ll always be grateful for that.”
I’m not going to get too ahead of myself, but to retain my first title and get the ball rolling early would be the perfect way to start a really important end to the year.
Humphries 5-2 victory against Gerwyn Price in Leicester sparked an incredible winning streak, with only Luke Littler denying him in the Premier League final at London’s O2 in May.
He said: “Sitting here now – I’ve made eight or nine major finals in 12 months which is something quite incredible, and something I may not be able to do again!
“It’s incredibly tough, but I just want to keep working hard, playing well and I will try to lift as many major titles as I can.
“I won’t be putting too much pressure on myself to try and retain every trophy that I’ve won, because it’s going to be almost impossible to replicate what I did last year.
“I always say my goal is to pick up a couple of major titles every year, and if you do that, you’ll be sat in the top four for a long time.
“I’m not going to get too ahead of myself, but to retain my first title and get the ball rolling early would be the perfect way to start a really important end to the year.”
Is Humphries a darting great?
Humphries is now being mentioned in the same bracket as greats Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen.
“It feels amazing to be mentioned in that bracket,” he said. “Phil and Michael are two of the players I’ve looked up to throughout my career.
“When I first started watching darts, it was all about Phil Taylor and him winning everything, and when I started to play competitively, it was the Michael van Gerwen era!
“I can now always say I have had the kind of year that Phil and Michael have enjoyed – that 12-month period of dominance.
“It’s something that is incredibly pleasing for me, something I never dreamed of doing in such a short space of time.
“The 2023/24 season will always live long in the memory, regardless of what happens in my career now.”
Humphries set for Bunting test in Leicester
The world No 1 will begin his title defence against Masters champion Stephen Bunting as he bids to join Taylor and Van Gerwen in becoming the third player to retain the World Grand Prix crown.
“When you’re on the big stage, it feels different. I feel better than ever on that big stage,” Humphries claimed.
“I know I’ve got a really tough game against Stephen because he’s usually so strong on his doubles, but these are the moments I live for now.
“I want to play the best and be involved in these great games, and hopefully it’s a great World Grand Prix. I would love to retain it.”
Humphries edged out Bunting 8-7 in the final of Players Championship 26 in Wigan on Thursday – just four days before they meet again at the Mattioli Arena.
Bunting, who lost all three Pro Tour finals in Wigan, said: “I’ve had two semi-finals at the World Grand Prix before and I’ve beaten Humphries before. He’s a fantastic player, but he’s not unbeatable and I’ve got to make sure that I play my best game.
“He’s world number one and expected to win. There’s not many people who expect me to win apart from myself.”
What live darts is next on Sky Sports?
Live darts returns to Sky Sports with the BoyleSports World Grand Prix in Leicester from October 7-13, featuring some of the sport’s very biggest stars.
The annual £600,000 tournament will take place at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester, as 32 of the world’s top stars compete for the coveted title which was won by Luke Humphries.
Then in November, the Grand Slam of Darts will be hosted in Wolverhampton as Luke Humphries looks to defend his title.
Attention then turns to the turn of the year and the 2025 PDC World Darts Championship, beginning on December 15, as the darts calendar continues to provide excitement throughout the year – and you can enjoy the very best here live on Sky Sports.
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Source : Sky Sports
