Luke Humphries delivered a markedly stronger performance in his latest World Grand Prix outing, showcasing his exceptional finishing ability and a flawless ten‑dart leg that propelled him to a convincing 3‑0 victory over Jermaine Wattimena. This win secured his place in the tournament's quarter‑final stage and highlighted a dramatic turnaround from his earlier showing.
The evening also featured solid 3‑1 triumphs for James Wade and Niels Zonneveld, who dispatched Stephen Bunting and Gary Anderson respectively. In a nail‑biting encounter, Gian Van Veen edged past Ryan Searle in a decisive fifth set, clinching the match 3‑2 after a series of tense legs. Humphries entered the round as one of the event's favorites, especially after defending champion Luke Littler suffered an unexpected defeat to Luke Woodhouse on opening night.
His previous match against Dave Chisnall had been underwhelming – a 2‑0 win in which he averaged just 80 and hit only 26 % of his finishing doubles. By contrast, in this latest contest Humphries, the 2023 champion and runner‑up in both 2024 and 2025, posted an impressive 94.11 average and converted 64 % of his doubles overall.
Even more striking was his 74 % success rate on opening doubles, a statistic that underscored his aggressive approach of targeting double 16 early in each leg. Nicknamed "Cool Hand," Humphries will now meet fellow Dutchman Zonneveld in the quarter‑finals on Friday.
The highlight of his match was a perfect ten‑dart finish at the start of the third set, a rare feat that demonstrated his clinical precision. Wattimena, on the other hand, struggled with his doubles, missing the correct target twice in the opening set, which contributed to the one‑sided scoreline. After the match, Humphries reflected on his form: "I have a solid chance of winning this tournament.
I’ve been a bit inconsistent lately, but if I can smooth out those fluctuations I’ll be very difficult to beat. It wasn’t my best performance, but it was definitely better than Tuesday’s display.
I felt I was hitting my first three darts consistently, and when you’re in that rhythm, it takes a top‑level effort from an opponent to turn the tide." James Wade, the sixth seed, also impressed with a dominant start, launching his campaign with a series of 160s – five of them – during his win over Bunting, which secured his eighth appearance in a World Grand Prix quarter‑final. Wade acknowledged the difficulty of the double‑start format, describing it as "hellish" and demanding intense focus. He admitted he does not feel he is at his absolute best yet but emphasized the need to raise his game against increasingly tough competition.
"I have plenty of gears left to shift – talk is cheap, but I’m ready to back it up with performance," he said. In another match, Ryan Searle produced the tournament's highest checkout of the week with a 167 finish, yet he fell short against Van Veen after breaking the Dutchman's lead with a 100 checkout in the fourth set, only to be broken back immediately in the deciding leg. Van Veen had been leading 2‑0 in the penultimate set before Searle leveled the score at 2‑2.
Van Veen then surged ahead, sweeping the final set 3‑0 to claim the win. Van Veen commented on his narrow escape: "When I found myself down 2‑1 in sets, I thought, ‘This isn’t how I want to go out.’ Double 16 was solid in the first round, but it troubled me today.
In the end, things fell into place. I was pleased with my scoring overall, though I missed a few crucial darts. Fortunately, I managed to close it out." Niels Zonneveld continued his strong run, following an opening‑round victory over Josh Rock with a convincing win over Gary Anderson. Zonneveld took the first set in a fashion where every leg was won against the throw, putting Anderson under immediate pressure.
Anderson’s start was disastrous – he hit a single one, suffered two bounce‑outs, and later missed a bullseye that would have secured the leg, resulting in another bounce‑out. Zonneveld capitalized, breaking Anderson before sealing the match in the subsequent leg. Speaking about his progress, the 28‑year‑old Zonneveld said, "Competing in this tournament is a huge milestone for me.
I’ve achieved a lot on the Pro Tour and Euro Tour, but success on the main stage has eluded me, except for a single appearance at the World Series Finals. Becoming a father has meant less sleep, but I feel back in rhythm now." The quarter‑finals will kick off at 7 p.m., with matches played in a best‑of‑five‑sets format (first to three sets). Fans can catch the live action on Sky Sports+ and Sky Sports Main Event, with daily coverage running through to the final on Sunday.
For those without a contract, streaming options are available via NOW, offering flexible viewing without long‑term commitments.