Luke Humphries continues major dominance with maiden World Matchplay crown
Luke Humphries clinched his first World Matchplay title with a thrilling 18-15 victory over Michael van Gerwen in Blackpool on Sunday.
Humphries continued his incredible dominance in televised ranking tournaments as he landed his fifth major in the space of nine months to become the latest new name on the Phil Taylor Trophy.
The world number one had won his last seven meetings against Van Gerwen, and extended that emphatic recent record to deny the Dutchman a fourth crown at the Winter Gardens.
“I almost feel more emotional than I did when I won the World Championship,” said Humphries, who averaged 101 and fired in 12 maximums in a high quality final.
“I got a little bit lucky at the end there, but I’m going to watch that 100 checkout back about 100 times tonight! That was honestly the most incredible feeling.
“I feel very privileged to hold this trophy – so many great players have won this title, especially Phil Taylor – the 16-time champion.
“I’m over the moon to put my name on it, and to do it in the same year I won the World Championship really means the world to me.”
Humphries has created a host of records over the last 12 months and he now becomes the first player after Taylor to win the World Matchplay and World Championship in the same calendar year, as well as the first player since Taylor to average above 100 in every game en route to the title in Blackpool.
“I’ve got to a level in my game where I feel really comfortable,” added Humphries – who defeated Ricardo Pietreczko, Stephen Bunting, Dimitri Van den Bergh and James Wade en route to the final.
“I’m playing well, but I could have been stopped tonight. That could have gone either way, I could have been stopped against James Wade, but I’ve got that grit and determination.
“I never give in, I work incredibly hard on my game, and this is the reward I get.
“This means so much to me and my family, and we’re going to celebrate this moment!”
Humphries had darts to win each of the opening five legs, but he found himself 3-2 down at the first interval, despite averaging 104 to Van Gerwen’s 93.
The Dutchman, plagued by missed doubles in the semi-finals, was ruthless on the outer ring in the early exchanges, but Humphries seized control with a run of four straight legs to move 6-3 ahead.
The world number one followed up legs of 14 and 13 darts with a 74 finish on the bull during this spell, but Van Gerwen responded with back-to-back legs to get the contest back on throw.
Humphries struck a huge blow with a sublime 141 checkout to restore his two-leg cushion at 7-5, although Van Gerwen remained defiant, in spite of his opponent’s blistering barrage of maximum hitting.
Humphries’ 141 checkout sparked a sequence of ten consecutive holds of throw, but that run was broken in leg 23 by Van Gerwen, who converted a clinical 106 finish for a 12-dart break.
The Dutchman made it back-to-back ton-plus checkouts with a 110 combination to level at 12-12, although Humphries halted Van Gerwen’s charge with a nerveless 86 finish to edge back ahead.
The pair then traded breaks of throw as the pendulum continued to swing, only for Humphries to regain control at 15-13 after Van Gerwen wired the bull for a 164 to level.
The World Champion reaffirmed his control with a brilliant 131 finish to lead 16-13, but Van Gerwen refused to relent, converting successive 160 and 108 combinations to reduce the deficit back to one.
The contest took another twist in a dramatic 32nd leg, as Van Gerwen missed tops for another sensational 160 checkout, before squandering another three darts at double ten to level.
His frustration was compounded by Humphries pinning the same target to move a leg away from glory at 17-15, and after Van Gerwen missed a further four darts at doubles to stay alive, and Humphries capitalised with a stunning tops-tops 100 finish to cap off another memorable triumph.
Van Gerwen, featuring in his fifth World Matchplay final, was bidding to add to his hat-trick of successes in 2015, 2016 and 2022, but was left to rue costly missed chances in the latter stages.
“I didn’t start off the game really well, but I still had my chances and I could have been 6-4 up,” admitted Van Gerwen.
“You always need to look at yourself in the mirror and I know I made mistakes.
“Towards the end of the game I think I was the better player, but when you don’t do yourself justice, it’s a painful game sometimes.
“Of course Luke is a fantastic player and we all know what he’s capable of, but I think there was a little bit more in this game for me.
“It’s such a frustrating game sometimes, but I need to look forward. I’ve come a long way, and people need to know I never give up.”
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