Luke Humphries delivered a markedly stronger performance, showcasing his finishing skill 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 World Grand Prix quarter‑finals. The evening also featured 3‑1 wins for James Wade and Niels Zonneveld, who respectively dispatched Stephen Bunting and Gary Anderson.
In a nail‑biting encounter, Gian Van Veen survived a deciding‑set showdown against Ryan Searle, ultimately prevailing 3‑2. Humphries entered the tournament as the favorite after defending champion Luke Littler suffered a surprise defeat to Luke Woodhouse on opening night. His earlier form had been shaky; he posted an average of just 80 and hit only 26 % of his finishing doubles in a modest 2‑0 win over Dave Chisnall on Tuesday. Two nights later, the 2023 champion and runner‑up in both 2024 and 2025 dramatically improved, posting a 94.11 average and converting 64 % of his doubles.
Even more striking was his 74 % success rate on opening doubles, as he repeatedly targeted double 16 at the start of legs. Nicknamed “Cool Hand,” Humphries will meet fellow Dutchman Zonneveld in the last eight on Friday.
He launched his 10‑dart perfect leg at the beginning of the third set, while Wattimena faltered twice by selecting the wrong double in the opening set. After the match Humphries said, “I’ve got a good chance of winning this.
At the moment I’m a bit up and down, but if I can sort that out I’ll be very hard to beat. It wasn’t my best performance, but it was a good one – a lot better than Tuesday.
I think I hit my first three darts every time. When you’re playing at that level, you need a top‑flight performance to be stopped.” James Wade, meanwhile, produced a masterclass in opening play to claim his eighth World Grand Prix quarter‑final appearance. He opened the match against Bunting with a 160 checkout five times, a display that set the tone for his victory.
Wade reflected on the difficulty of the double‑start format, stating, “I’m so grateful because it’s incredibly tough to win with a double start. We can all pretend to be relaxed, but it’s actually hellish, a huge amount of work. I don’t feel I’m at my best yet, but I have to raise my game against better opponents.
I have many gears left – talk is cheap, and I’m full of cheap talk!” Elsewhere, Ryan Searle, who recorded the week’s highest checkout of 167, fought hard against Van Veen. After breaking the Dutchman 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 leveled at 2‑2, then surged to a 3‑0 sweep in the final set. Van Veen explained his mindset: “When I was down 2‑1 in sets I thought, ‘Oh no, this isn’t how I want to go out.’ Double 16 was solid in the first round but it bothered me today. In the end it worked out. I was happy with my scoring but missed a few crucial darts.
Luckily I got the job done.” Niels Zonneveld continued his impressive run after a first‑round win over Josh Rock, then eliminated Anderson by taking the first set in which every leg went against the throw. Anderson’s start was disastrous; he hit a single 1, suffered two bounce‑outs, and later missed a bullseye for the leg, resulting in another bounce‑out in the fourth set. Zonneveld capitalised, breaking Anderson before sealing the match in the following leg. Zonneveld, 28, spoke about the significance of the tournament for his career: “This event is one of the biggest milestones for me.
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. I’m now a dad, so sleep is scarce, but I feel back in rhythm again.” The competition follows a best‑of‑five‑sets format, with the first player to win three sets advancing. The quarter‑finals will be broadcast live on Sky Sports+ and Sky Sports Main Event from 7 p.m.
on Friday, with daily coverage continuing through the final on Sunday. Viewers can also stream via NOW with a no‑contract deal, taking advantage of the latest Sky Sports offers. Overall, the night highlighted the importance of precision on the doubles, the mental resilience required for the double‑start format, and the depth of talent across the field.
Humphries’ resurgence, Wade’s relentless opening firepower, and the gritty performances from Van Veen, Zonneveld, and others set the stage for an exciting final stretch of the World Grand Prix.