Luke Humphries admitted that his game needs a lift if he hopes to chase a second World Grand Prix crown, and he confessed that he would have preferred defending champion Luke Littler to stay in the tournament longer. The 2023 champion, who has also been runner‑up in the last two editions of the double‑start event, delivered a rather uninspired display in his straight‑sets win over Dave Chisnall at the Mattioli Arena. The world number two managed to hit fewer than 27 percent of his checkout attempts and posted an average of 80.41 – the lowest figure he has recorded at this competition since 2022.

Nevertheless, he breathed a sigh of relief at escaping the fate that befell Littler and Michael van Gerwen, both of whom fell in the opening round. "That was probably one of the worst performances I've ever had on a World Grand Prix stage," Humphries said after the match. "I never felt comfortable throughout the whole encounter. The doubles weren’t clicking at the start, my scoring was terrible, and I got the impression that Chizzy [Dave Chisnall] wasn’t at his best either." He added, "It wasn’t a good showing, but I’m through to the next round and when I face Jermaine [Wattimena] on Thursday I hope you won’t see a repeat of that." With defending champion Luke Littler having suffered a shock loss to Luke Woodhouse, Humphries now finds himself the favourite to lift the trophy.

Yet he confessed that the exit of the world number one adds a new layer of pressure. "I hate it when he loses because it instantly puts the spotlight on me. Everyone starts saying ‘this is yours to win’, and that kind of expectation can be a heavy burden," Humphries explained.

"I’d love to meet him in a final and beat him there – I don’t want to lose to him in a final, but the prospect of a final against him fires me up. "When he’s out, I’m not exactly jumping for joy. It just shifts all the pressure onto my shoulders and sometimes that doesn’t help my game.

I’d rather he stay in the draw, be the favourite, and then I could try to sneak my way to the final from the back door." Humphries’ 2023 triumph was his first PDC‑ranked television title and sparked a dominant finish to that season. Since then, however, the player known as "Cool Hand" has endured a string of runner‑up finishes in major events after his World Masters and Premier League victories last year. "I feel like I deserve a major title – I’ve been in six or seven finals and lost each time," he said. "I played a fantastic Premier League final and a World Masters final, both at a 105 average, and still came up short.

Those losses are hard to swallow. "If you play anyone else in the world, they probably won’t beat you, but when you’re up against a phenom like Luke [Littler], he can turn the tables. I know I deserve a major, but sometimes life doesn’t hand you what you think you’re owed.

"The onus is on me to win four more matches and raise my level dramatically. If I repeat the same performance, I’ll be lucky just to reach the quarters or semis." During his progress to the last‑16, Humphries sparked curiosity on social media when he appeared on stage with a noticeable scab on his head. He reassured fans that the blemish had no impact on his play. "I wanted to spin an epic tale about battling five opponents and coming out on top, but honestly I don’t have a great story," he laughed.

"I was filming for Bullseye on Tuesday, woke up Wednesday with a massive rash on the side of my head, and it kept getting worse until it scabbed over. "I think it was an allergic reaction to the makeup and creams they use on TV shows.

I haven’t seen a doctor yet, but it looks like an allergic response to the products they put on my face and head. I’m feeling fine otherwise." The World Grand Prix continues to be broadcast live on Sky Sports throughout the week, with daily coverage leading up to the final on Sunday.

Viewers can also follow the action via NOW with a no‑contract streaming option. As the tournament progresses, all eyes remain on Humphries to see whether he can shake off the self‑criticism, manage the heightened expectations, and finally capture the major title he believes he deserves.

The journey from a sub‑par performance to a potential championship run will test his resilience, focus, and ability to thrive under the weight of a field suddenly opened up by Littler’s early exit.