Luke Humphries delivered a markedly stronger performance in the World Grand Prix, showcasing his exceptional finishing skills and a flawless 10‑dart leg that propelled him to a convincing 3‑0 victory over Jermaine Wattimena and earned him a place in the tournament's quarter‑finals. The evening also featured solid 3‑1 wins from James Wade and Niels Zonneveld, who dispatched Stephen Bunting and Gary Anderson respectively.
In a thrilling five‑set showdown, Gian Van Veen edged past Ryan Searle 3‑2 after a decisive final set. Humphries entered the competition as the favourite after defending champion Luke Littler suffered an unexpected defeat to Luke Woodhouse on opening night.
His earlier match against Dave Chisnall had been underwhelming – a 2‑0 win with an average of just 80 and a meagre 26 % success rate on closing doubles. Two nights later, however, the 2023 champion and runner‑up in both 2024 and 2025 turned the tables, posting a 94.11 average and hitting a stunning 64 % on finishing doubles.
Even more impressive was his 74 % conversion on opening doubles, a statistic highlighted by his early‑leg dominance on double 16. Dubbed "Cool Hand," Humphries will now meet fellow Dutchman Zonneveld in the last eight on Friday.
The highlight of his match came at the start of the third set when he completed a perfect 10‑dart finish, a rarity in the double‑start format. Wattimena, by contrast, faltered twice by selecting the wrong double in the opening set, giving Humphries a clear advantage. After the match, Humphries reflected on his form: "I have a solid chance of winning this tournament.
I'm a bit inconsistent at the moment, but if I can smooth that out, I'll be very hard to beat. It wasn't my best performance, but it was a big step up from Tuesday.
I think I hit my first three darts well each leg. When you’re playing at that level, it takes a top‑class display to beat you." James Wade also impressed, delivering a masterclass with the opening throw of 160 on five separate occasions during his 3‑1 win over Bunting, securing his eighth World Grand Prix quarter‑final appearance. Wade acknowledged the difficulty of the double‑start format, saying, "I'm grateful because winning with a double start is incredibly tough.
We can all act relaxed, but it's actually hellish, very demanding. I don't feel I'm at my absolute best, but the competition forces me to raise my game.
I have many gears left – talk is cheap, and I'm full of cheap talk!" In another match, Ryan Searle, who recorded the week's highest checkout of 167, fought hard against Van Veen. After breaking the Dutchman's throw with a 100 finish in the fourth set, Searle was immediately broken in the deciding leg, handing Van Veen the win.
Van Veen had led 2‑0 in the penultimate set before Searle fought back to 2‑2, but Van Veen responded by blitzing the final set 3‑0 to clinch the match. Van Veen commented on his narrow escape: "When I was down 2‑1 in sets, I thought, 'Oh no, this isn’t how I want to go out.' Double 16 served me well in the first round, but it troubled me today. In the end, it worked out.
I was happy with my scoring, though I missed a few crucial darts. Fortunately, I got the job done." Niels Zonneveld continued his strong run after an opening‑round win over Josh Rock, then eliminated Gary Anderson in a match where he took the first set despite every leg going against the throw. Anderson’s start was disastrous – a single one followed by two bounce‑outs, and another bounce‑out in the fourth set while aiming for a leg‑winning bullseye.
Zonneveld broke Anderson’s throw and sealed the victory in the subsequent leg. Zonneveld, 28, spoke about the significance of his performance: "This tournament is one of the biggest milestones of my career. I've achieved a lot on the Pro Tour and Euro Tour, but not on the main stage, except once at the World Series Finals.
Becoming a dad has meant less sleep, but I feel back in rhythm again." The matches are played from 7 p.m., first to three sets, with live coverage on Sky Sports+ and Sky Sports Main Event. The quarter‑finals will be broadcast from 7 p.m. on Friday, and the tournament will continue with daily live coverage through to the final on Sunday.
Viewers can also stream the event via NOW with no contract required.