Luke Humphries completes Euro Tour hat-trick at the European Darts Grand Prix

Luke Humphries secured his third European Tour title of the season at the 2022 European Darts Grand Prix in Stuttgart with an 8-7 victory over Rob Cross in the final.

Humphries was victorious against Cross a week ago in Prague to claim the Czech Darts Open title, and matched that result to seal a third European Tour triumph of the year in style.

Cross this time took the final all the way to a deciding leg, but was forced to settle for second prize for a seventh time on the European Tour – and in his third decider of the year – as Humphries took out 108 for glory.

“It’s fantastic,” said Humphries. “Rob’s one of the nicest guys in the PDC and it’s no coincidence [that] we have practiced together for the last two European Tours and made the final together.

“It was a great game, full of everything. At the start of that game we must have been averaging 113-114, it felt amazing. I know I dropped off a little bit but then I missed because Rob put me under pressure.

“I thought I played fantastic there but Rob was the better player overall because he was consistent throughout the whole game.

“I missed a couple of match darts but that 108 was clinical and one of the best out-shots of my career.

“I’m making huge strides in the game and there’s a lot more to come.”

Humphries steadily improved as the day progressed, seeing off Joe Murnan 6-3 in the Last 16 before whitewashing Brendan Dolan in the Quarter-Finals with a 100 average and then posting a 108 average in a 7-4 Semi-Final defeat of Peter Wright.

Cross clinched the opening leg of the final on double 18 and hit six perfect darts in leg two, only for Humphries to level in 11 darts and then claim two five-visit legs to move 3-1 up.

Cross hit legs of 14 and 13 darts in response either side of an 11-darter from Humphries, who then produced a remarkable eighth leg where he scored 21, 180 and a second 180 before finishing 120 for a 12-darter and a 5-3 cushion.

Humphries then powered in a sixth 180 of the final in another 11-darter to break throw for a three-leg lead.

Superb legs of 13 and 14 darts from Cross saw the gap closed to one leg, only for a clinical 121 bullseye finish to move Humphries a leg away from victory at 7-5.

Two missed match darts, at double 18, in the 13th leg allowed Cross to keep his hopes alive at 7-6, and another chance to close out victory – this time at double 16 – went begging as the 2018 World Champion forced a decider.

Cross was first to a finish in the decider, but was unable to give himself a dart at a double on 118, and Humphries stepped in to complete a 108 combination for the title.

Cross began the final day in scintillating fashion by landing a 170 checkout and finishing six doubles from as many attempts in a 6-4 Third Round win over Krzysztof Ratajski.

He then overcame Rowby-John Rodriguez in the Last Eight by the same scoreline, before averaging an unstoppable 110.7 in a 7-4 Semi-Final success over Damon Heta.

However, the reigning European Champion was left to rue another loss in a European Tour final – his seventh in a run spanning five years since turning professional in 2017.

“I’m glad I don’t struggle with ‘majors’ to win them – these are ten times harder!” admitted Cross.

“Credit to Luke, I thought he played great, he was the better player and if he hit doubles earlier I was out of there earlier.

“He’s superb and I’ve got a lot of time for him.”

Heta was appearing in his second Euro Tour Semi-Final of the season after enjoying wins in deciding legs against Ryan Searle and Martin Schindler.

World Champion Wright continued a strong weekend with 6-1 wins over Premier League champion Jonny Clayton and UK Open champion Danny Noppert – where he averaged 111 to reach his first European Tour Semi-Final since February.

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European Darts Grand Prix 2022 – Day Three Results

Sunday May 22

Afternoon Session

Third Round
Martin Lukeman 5-6 Martin Schindler
Damon Heta 6-5 Ryan Searle
Rowby-John Rodriguez 6-3 Daryl Gurney
Rob Cross 6-4 Krzysztof Ratajski
Andrew Gilding 3-6 Brendan Dolan
Joe Murnan 3-6 Luke Humphries
Peter Wright 6-1 Jonny Clayton
Danny Noppert 6-4 Nathan Rafferty

Evening Session

Quarter-Finals
Martin Schindler 5-6 Damon Heta
Rowby-John Rodriguez 4-6 Rob Cross
Brendan Dolan 0-6 Luke Humphries
Peter Wright 6-1 Danny Noppert

Semi-Finals
Rob Cross 7-4 Damon Heta
Luke Humphries 7-4 Peter Wright

Final
Luke Humphries 8-7 Rob Cross