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Players Championship Finals 2024 | Day Three Preview and Order of Play

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Luke Humphries denies Luke Littler to retain Players Championship Finals title

Jamie Shaw in Players Championship Finals 25 Nov 2024

Luke Humphries is the defending champion (Photo by Kieran Cleeves/PDC)

Luke Humphries retained the Players Championship Finals title with an 11-7 victory over rival Luke Littler in the final in Minehead.

Humphries created a slice of personal history by successfully defending a major title for the first time and joining Michael van Gerwen as only the second player ever to retain the Players Championship Finals crown.

Littler, making his Players Championship Finals debut following a remarkable first season on the PDC ProTour, had continued his blistering form to reach the final as he bid to follow up last weekend’s Grand Slam triumph with a second successive major title.

Littler fired in four ton-plus checkouts in a thrilling final, including finishes of 170 and 164, but Humphries proved too strong to wrap up an 11-7 triumph and scoop the £120,000 title.

“I’m really, really proud of that one,” said Humphries. “I didn’t feel myself this week, playing-wise, and I felt like I was a dart behind in a lot of the scenarios.

“But Luke really drives me and makes me want to be a better player and I enjoy playing him.

“Obviously he let me in early and I never looked back. I’m proud of the way I didn’t take my foot off the gas.

“It was a fantastic game again – his finishes were unbelievable and he’s just a special talent.

“He was right, he said I’ve got to get these early before it’s goodnight and I don’t win any!

“You go by the stats, he’s easily the best player in the world but there’s something about me that never gives up.

“As much as he is the best, I know I can beat him, he knows he can beat me.

“A lot of people probably thought Luke was probably going to win this one and the Worlds – we like unpredictability in darts and that’s what we’ve got over the last few months.”

Humphries had defeated Ryan Joyce and Dirk van Duijvenbode earlier in the day to reach the final – where secured an immediate break of throw with a 72 finish.

The world number one doubled his lead before Littler got off the mark, but another three straight legs saw the World Champion establish a 5-1 cushion.

Littler finished 105 with two double tops to stop the rot, and he responded to an 11-darter from Humphries with checkouts of 170 and 164 in a three-leg burst of 12, 13 and 12 darts to reduce the deficit to 6-5.

Littler landed two further 12-darters as the pair shared the next four legs – including a 136 checkout – but he was crucially never able to draw level.

Double 16 from Humphries handed him a 9-7 advantage, and he landed tops in the next two legs – to complete 13- and 14-darters – as he claimed glory for a second successive year.

Littler ended World Grand Prix champion Mike De Decker’s hopes of a second major triumph in the afternoon’s quarter-finals, before edging out former European Champion Ross Smith 11-9 in the semi-finals.

However, he was left to rue a slow start in the final – though the £60,000 in prize money moves him up to fourth on the PDC Order of Merit.

“It was tough – I missed a few doubles and if you don’t take chances early it’s a lot to come back,” admitted the 17-year-old.

“Luke took full advantage, so fair play to him. I know I hit the 170 and the 164 but I didn’t have enough in the end.”

Humphries and Littler will now focus on the forthcoming Paddy Power World Darts Championship, which begins on December 15 and sees the pair – who met in last year’s final – both situated in the top half of the draw.

Van Duijvenbode’s return to form following a shoulder injury continued as he reached his first televised semi-final for two years, edging out Connor Scutt 10-9 in a nail-biting quarter-final.

Smith, meanwhile, raced into the Last Four with a commanding 10-3 win over Scott Williams in his best run in a TV major since winning the 2022 European Championship.

He came from 5-1 down to lead Littler 6-5, but saw the youngster power in two 11-darters as he claimed six of the next nine legs to reach the final.

Players Championship Finals 2024 Day Three Results

Sunday November 24

Afternoon Session

Quarter-Finals
Luke Littler 10-3 Mike De Decker
Ross Smith 10-3 Scott Williams
Dirk van Duijvenbode 10-9 Connor Scutt
Luke Humphries 10-5 Ryan Joyce

Evening Session

Semi-Finals
Luke Littler 11-9 Ross Smith
Luke Humphries 11-8 Dirk van Duijvenbode

Final
Luke Humphries 11-7 Luke Littler

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Luke Humphries denies Luke Littler to retain Players Championship Finals title

Players Championship Finals 2024 Day Three Results

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