Humphries 'dislikes' Littler's early departure – 'It shifts all the pressure onto me!'

Luke Humphries acknowledges that he must elevate his game if he hopes to secure a second World Grand Prix crown, and he confessed that he would have preferred defending champion Luke Littler to stay in the tournament longer. Humphries, who lifted the trophy in 2023 and has 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 – his lowest figure at this tournament since the 2022 edition. Despite the sub‑par numbers, he felt a measure of relief at having avoided the fate of Littler and Michael van Gerwen, both of whom were knocked out in the opening round. "That was probably one of the worst performances I've ever produced on a World Grand Prix stage," Humphries said after the match.

"I never felt comfortable throughout the whole encounter. The doubles weren’t clicking from the start, my scoring was terrible, and I got the impression that Chizzy [Dave Chisnall] wasn’t playing 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’ll see a completely different level of play from me." With defending champion Luke Littler suffering a shock loss to Luke Woodhouse, Humphries now finds himself the favourite to lift the trophy. However, he admits that the elimination of the world number one adds a different kind of pressure. "I hate it when he loses because it instantly puts the spotlight on me.

Everyone starts saying, ‘this is your chance to win,’ and that kind of expectation can be overwhelming," he explained. Humphries continued, "I hate it when he loses because I actually want to meet him in a final. I’d love to beat him there, not lose to him. Playing in a final against him fires me up.

When he’s out, I don’t celebrate – it just piles more pressure onto my shoulders, and sometimes that pressure can be counter‑productive. I’d rather he stay in the draw, be the favourite, and then I could try to sneak my way to the final behind him." His 2023 triumph marked his first PDC‑ranked televised title and sparked a dominant run that saw him finish the season strongly.

Since then, the player nicknamed "Cool Hand" has endured a series of runner‑up finishes in major events after his World Masters and Premier League victories last year. "I feel like I deserve a major – I’ve lost in six or seven finals now," Humphries said. "I played a fantastic Premier League final and a World Masters final – both at an average of 105 – and still came up short. It’s hard to swallow." He reflected on the difficulty of beating top‑level opponents: "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 take you out.

I know I deserve a title, but life doesn’t always hand you what you’ve earned." Looking ahead, Humphries stressed the need for consistency: "I have to win another four matches and perform far better than I did tonight. If I repeat that level of play, I’ll be lucky just to reach the quarters or semis." During the tournament, 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 performance as he progressed to the last‑16.

"I wanted to spin an epic tale about taking down five opponents and emerging with a battle scar, but the reality is less dramatic," he said. He explained the origin of the scab: "I filmed 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. The likely cause is the makeup and creams used on TV shows – I think I had an allergic reaction to something they applied. I haven’t seen a doctor yet, but it looks like an allergic response to the cosmetics they used on my face and head.

I’m otherwise fine." Humphries’ candid comments about the rash, his self‑critical assessment of his game, and his desire to see Littler stay in the competition provide a window into the mental challenges elite darts players face. The pressure of expectation, the need to maintain high averages, and even the small physical irritations that can arise from media obligations all combine to shape a player’s performance on the oche. As the World Grand Prix continues, fans can follow the action live on Sky Sports, with daily coverage leading up to the final on Sunday. Those without a Sky subscription can also stream the tournament via NOW, which offers a contract‑free option for viewers who want to keep up with every leg, checkout, and dramatic moment of this prestigious double‑start event.