James Wade celebrates (Photo credit: Mark Robinson Matchroom/PDC)
Luke Humphries and James Wade will collide in the semi-finals of the 2024 World Matchplay after overcoming Dimitri Van den Bergh and Ross Smith respectively in Blackpool on Thursday.
2007 champion Wade produced another vintage display to reach his first semi-final at the Winter Gardens since 2015, averaging 100.3 and registering 13 maximums in seeing off Smith.
Wade was a front-runner for the majority of the contest with his trademark finishing under pressure denying Smith a way back.
Smith flew out of the traps, averaging 114 in the opening five legs to establish a 3-2 lead.
Wade landed checkouts of 120 and 121 on his way to move 6-4 in front, before producing his third ton-plus finish of the match to make it 8-5.
After Wade missed four darts for a 10-5 cushion, Smith took advantage with a clinical 107 finish to cut the gap to 9-6 behind.
Wade then kicked for home, winning three of the next four legs to take a 12-7 lead before Smith took out 107 for a second time to stay in touch.
Smith continued to scrap, hitting a magnificent 161 checkout to stay in contention at 13-10, but that proved to be his last leg as Wade reeled off a trio of legs to seal victory.
“I feel really good after that,” said Wade. “I enjoyed the game, it was a great game and I’m just glad that I played a little bit better than Ross on the night.
“He played really well at the start; I felt like I dragged him into a scrap and then I took charge.
“My scoring was good but I’ve been playing a lot better in practice so it’s not something I’m surprised by.
“I thought I could’ve played better at times and I know I can play a lot better than that.
“Don’t think for one minute that I can’t play darts anymore. Don’t think for one minute that I’ve been left behind.”
Humphries defeated Van den Bergh 16-10 to avenge March’s UK Open final heartbreak and reach the semi-finals in Blackpool for a second successive year.
A sensational start from the world number one saw him race into a 3-0 lead, but Van den Bergh won the next four legs to lead for the first time at 4-3.
Humphries fired in a terrific ten-darter to go 8-7 up before hitting a 115 finish on his way to opening up daylight as he took an 11-8 lead.
2020 champion Van den Bergh showed typical resilience, winning back-to-back legs to reduce Humphries’ advantage to just one leg at 11-10.
Humphries then put his foot to the floor, hitting a roof-raising 164 checkout in a five-leg flurry to seal his place in the Last Four.
“I’m proud of myself tonight, I worked incredibly hard in the last session to get over the line,” said Humphries.
“After the first five legs I felt tired and deflated, I just didn’t feel like my usual self up there tonight.
“In the last break I said to myself ‘stick in there, don’t give in’ and that’s what I did.
“I know I’m in for an incredibly hard game on Saturday; I’ve been practicing with James this week, I know how well he’s playing so it was no surprise to me that he won tonight.”
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