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Luke Humphries comes on Alexandra Palace Headed into his World Championship debut on Saturday full of confidence after winning two major titles this year and reaching back-to-back finals. “I feel like I’m playing even better in 2023 than I was when I actually won it,” he says, and he has the receipts to prove it.
“My tournament average this year was better than when I won the Grand Prix in 2023. My tournament average in Grand Slams this year was better than the year I won it. My tournament average in the European Championships is better than when I played in it. So my standard has got better. And I feel like sometimes when there’s a little pressure on me, I play better.”
The problem, of course, is that the man – the boy, technically – whom Humphries beat in the 2023 finals is still playing much better. luke littler Nearly every other notable trophy on offer this year has been up for grabs and Humphries has had to settle for scraps, even if that might be a slightly derogatory description of the Masters and the Premier League.
Littler has also taken over Humphries’ No. 1 ranking, and so it is no surprise that a showdown is being talked about as a possible final on January 3. They are friendly, if not close friends, and yet Humphries has previously called their rivalry on the board a “war”.
Speaking before the tournament, he doubles down on that take. “I can’t use any other words to describe it. The two best darts players going at it, trying to become world No. 1, trying to become world champion. It’s war.”
Humphreys sees this World Championships as important for the future balance of power at the top of the sport. “It’s absolutely clear what I mean. We’re both going to basically put everything on the line and really try to decide who can stay at No. 1, because if Luke wins the worlds he’ll be there for many years.”
It is not entirely fair to portray the first few rounds of the World Championships as a warm-up before the inevitable final between the two Lukes. Michael van Gerwen reached last year’s final and no one knows how to navigate multiple rounds like the three-time champion Dutchman. Gerwyn Price and Stephen Bunting have produced stellar performances this season, while emerging talents such as Josh Rock and Gian Van Veen – who defeated Humphreys in a dramatic finish to win the European Championships in October – could make their mark. But if Littler is at his best, it’s hard to imagine anyone other than Humphries being able to stop him.
The virtual monopoly at the top of the game – they have won almost everything in the last two years – does not entertain everyone. “I see the players groaning,” Humphries says. “But we’re just doing my job. I’m doing my job and winning. He’s doing his job and winning. If you’re not going to beat him, you’ve got to beat me, and that’s a tough job. To win, I’ve got to beat him. He’s got to beat me. It’s a tough game.”
Humphreys is immersed in darts’ cultural and commercial explosion, and will reap the rewards over the next few weeks if he can reach the latter stages of the tournament. The total prize money for this year’s tournament at Alexandra Palace is a record £5 million, and the winner will take home £1 million, the largest payout in the history of the game.
It’s been a wild few years, fueled by Littler’s emergence at the age of 16 and his ongoing feud with Humphries, turning them into household names. This next chapter will attract the attention of millions of people to the palace on the hill.
“It’s way more than I expected, it’s crazy,” says Humphries. “The attention people get to you, like when you’re walking around, you get recognized everywhere. Sometimes it’s quite extreme when you’re out and everyone recognizes you. I didn’t expect it to happen after the final with Luke. But I see the sport has become so big now, everyone talks about it. This World Championships will be the only thing that will be on everyone’s mind.”