Luke Humphries denies Dirk van Duijvenbode to clinch European Darts Matchplay title
Luke Humphries retained the European Darts Matchplay title in dramatic fashion with a deciding leg victory over Dirk van Duijvenbode in the final in Trier on Sunday.
Humphries had suffered four consecutive European Tour final defeats this season but returned to the winner’s circle in breath-taking fashion, denying a distraught Van Duijvenbode a maiden Euro Tour crown.
Humphries looked resigned to a fifth runner-up cheque of the year at 7-5 down, but Van Duijvenbode bust double eight with a single 16 in the 14th leg to allow ‘Cool Hand’ to force a decider.
The Dutchman then squandered a further two match darts at tops, handing Humphries the chance to snatch victory after initially missing three match darts of his own, which he duly accepted on double ten to seal the £30,000 top prize.
“To pick my fifth one up is a big feeling,” said Humphries. “Overall I think I played well, but I was very lucky.
“I’m so delighted but I’m struggling to celebrate this one – I feel so sorry for Dirk and I know how much that hurts.
“He had the chances there and didn’t take them. It’s horrible for him to lose that – Dirk’s a fantastic player and there’s no doubt he’s going to win five, six, seven, eight in the next couple of years because he’s an incredible player.
“I know how Dirk feels because I’ve lost four this year – it’s very hurtful and if I’d lost a fifth it probably would have crushed me a little bit more.
“I’m over the moon – I don’t want to be too down on myself, that’s my fifth title in less than a year so I’m really happy.”
Humphries had kicked off his title defence with a 6-1 rout of Marko Kantele on Saturday night, but hit top form with a brace of 109 averages to see off Stephen Bunting and Nathan Aspinall en route to the Semi-Finals.
There, he averaged almost 106 to defy a 109 average from James Wade in a pulsating contest, securing a 7-5 win despite the left-hander firing in ten 180s, as well as finishes of 150 and 130.
Humphries took the opening leg of the final, only to see Van Duijvenbode claim the next three – including a 12-dart break of throw with his third 127 finish of the weekend – to take command.
Humphries reeled off four of the next five legs to regain the lead at 5-4, only for the Dutchman to respond again, following an earlier 100 checkout with a 13-darter and a 161 finish to lead 6-5, before tops moved him one away from glory.
Humphries hit back with a 12-darter on tops, before Van Duijvenbode missed double 16 for a 112 checkout and then agonisingly saw his dart at double eight when returning to the oche land in the single 16 to burst his score.
Humphries posted tops to take the final to a deciding leg, and was first to a finish as he wired three darts at double ten.
Van Duijvenbode’s second chance to grab glory, though, passed him by with two narrow misses at tops, allowing Humphries back in to end an epic contest.
Van Duijvenbode had seen off UK Open champion Andrew Gilding on Saturday, and whitewashed Dimitri Van den Bergh in Sunday afternoon’s third round with a 107 average.
He then defeated World Champion Michael Smith 6-4 in the Quarter-Finals, and held off Joe Cullen’s fightback from 5-2 down to edge to a 7-6 Semi-Final success.
Van Duijvenbode also lost in a deciding leg to Gerwyn Price in a European Tour final earlier this year without having match darts, and admitted: “It’s not very positive because I choked again but at least I’m playing okay again.
“My confidence isn’t there, I’m not in my best form and I should have easily won – I missed so many doubles during the game as well.
“You miss so many match darts just because your head is such a storm – I couldn’t calm it down but it is what it is.”
Wade’s run to the Semi-Finals saw him reach that stage for the first time in 2023 and was also his best finish in a Euro Tour event for 12 months.
He was at his clinical best in ending Rob Cross’ hopes of back-to-back European Tour wins in the third round, before ending Gian van Veen’s chances of snatching World Matchplay qualification in the Last Eight.
Three-time European Tour event winner Cullen, meanwhile, defeated Ryan Joyce and Raymond van Barneveld on Sunday as he reached his second European Tour Semi-Final of 2023.
A high-quality final day of action in Trier saw eight ton-plus averages achieved in the afternoon session, headlined by Smith’s 111 average to see off Rock, while Van Barneveld also landed a 170 checkout in his win over Searle.
European Darts Matchplay 2023 Day Three Results
Sunday July 2
Afternoon Session
Last 16
Raymond van Barneveld 6-5 Ryan Searle
Ryan Joyce 4-6 Joe Cullen
Michael Smith 6-4 Josh Rock
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-0 Dimitri van den Bergh
Rob Cross 2-6 James Wade
Gian Van Veen 6-2 Martin Schindler
Nathan Aspinall 6-3 Danny Noppert
Luke Humphries 6-3 Stephen Bunting
Evening Session
Quarter-Finals
Raymond van Barneveld 4-6 Joe Cullen
Michael Smith 4-6 Dirk van Duijvenbode
James Wade 6-3 Gian van Veen
Nathan Aspinall 2-6 Luke Humphries
Semi-Finals
Dirk van Duijvenbode 7-6 Joe Cullen
Luke Humphries 7-5 James Wade
Final
Luke Humphries 8-7 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Latest Darts Free Bet Offers (18+)
Sky Bet New Customer offer: Get £30 in Free Bets when you place any first bet
CLICK HERE TO CLAIM THIS OFFER
*New customers only. First single or E/W bet only. 5p minimum stake. 3x £10 Bet Tokens. Free Bet Stakes not included in returns. Free Bets exclude virtuals and are non-withdrawable. Eligibility restrictions and further T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org
Boylesports New Customer offer: Bet £10 and Get £20 in Free Bets
CLICK HERE TO CLAIM THIS OFFER
New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. Mobile exclusive. Min Deposit £10. Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. Free bet applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. 30 days to qualify. Free bets expire in 7 days. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. Account & Payment method restrictions apply. 1 Free Bet offer per customer, household & IP Address only. 18+. T&Cs apply
Bet UK sign-up offer: Bet £10 and get £30 in Free Bets
CLICK HERE TO CLAIM THIS OFFER
T&Cs apply. New customers, Deposit & Place a Bet within 7 days, and settle a £10 minimum bet at odds of 4/5 (1.8) or greater, to be credited with 3x £10 free bets: 1 x £10 Horse racing, 1 x £10 Free Bet Builder and 1 x £10 Football. Stake not returned. Opt-in required. 18+ GambleAware.org
