Luke Humphries finally put an end to his string of heartbreaking defeats in televised major finals by delivering a dramatic comeback win against Gerwyn Price at the World Grand Prix. The Englishman secured a historic fourth straight appearance in the final of the double‑start event, overturning a 3‑0 deficit to claim six of the next seven sets and seal a 6‑4 victory over the Welshman.
The win at Leicester’s Mattioli Arena came on the heels of Humphries’ triumph over Price in the 2023 edition of the tournament and made him only the fourth player in history to capture multiple World Grand Prix titles. The prize for his latest success was a £150,000 first‑place cheque. This triumph also marked Humphries’ first ranked televised major title since his Winmau World Masters win in February 2025, ending a run of runner‑up finishes that had begun the previous season. "I’m just happy to get one back," Humphries said, reflecting on a year that saw him finish second at the World Grand Prix, the European Championship and the Grand Slam of Darts in 2025, followed by runner‑up spots at the Winmau World Masters and the Premier League at the start of 2026.
"It feels amazing to shake off that streak of losses in major finals. It really means a lot to me," he added. "I needed this to restore my confidence after a difficult 15‑ to 18‑month period where I kept falling short in the biggest stages." The match itself was a roller‑coaster. Humphries was forced to hit a 105 checkout in a deciding leg to avoid going 4‑0 down, while Price missed several set‑winning darts that would have taken him to a 5‑4 lead.
"I worked incredibly hard from 3‑0 down, showed a lot of grit and determination," Humphries explained. "Victories that come after such a fight taste sweeter than those that come easily." He continued, "I didn’t want to lose 6‑0; I wanted to give the fans something to enjoy.
Suddenly I found myself up 4‑3. It was a huge lift. I can’t wait to bring the trophy home for my son – he’ll finally see his dad lift a trophy that isn’t a runner‑up medal." Price, who has not lifted a major title since 2022, suffered his third consecutive runner‑up finish, having also been beaten in the World Matchplay by Luke Littler and in the World Series Finals by Ross Smith. He added three more semi‑final appearances in major events this year.
Humphries praised his opponent, saying, "Gezzy (Price) was spectacular in the first three sets – absolutely insane. He’s destined to win a major soon; the stars are aligned for him, he can’t keep playing this well and not win." Price opened the match with a 132.62 three‑dart average in the first set, completing it in just 34 darts – the highest set average ever recorded at the tournament – yet he now has three World Grand Prix runner‑up finishes since his 2020 victory. Speaking to Sky Sports, Price admitted his frustration: "I don’t want to win a major, do I?! It’s gutting to lose another one – I’m not bothered, but I am bothered." He also acknowledged Humphries’ performance: "Luke played brilliantly in the middle part of the game, but I still squandered so many opportunities to put him under pressure.
I felt it was a fantastic game – I thought I played brilliantly, and Luke played brilliantly." Wayne Mardle of Sky Sports Darts offered his analysis: "Humphries was in trouble, then a bit more, then a bit more – to claw his way back was an incredible effort. The last two sets were his best. He was under the cosh for more than an hour but didn’t fold. He stood up to everything Gezzy threw at him, which was a lot!" Mardle continued, "When you’ve won before, as Luke has many times in many ways, you have that belief: ‘I’m under pressure, but I know my game can win,’ rather than thinking ‘I’m going to get beaten.’ He stuck to his game and he won." He added, "Gezzy tightened up after a great start.
He says things in the heat of the moment, but the way he competes shows he wants it. You can’t play like he did tonight if you don’t care!" Mardle also noted the psychological aspect of the loss for Price: "It’s disheartening and disappointing when you’re 3‑0 up and don’t win, but he’s lost enough finals to know nothing is guaranteed. He’s still a young man and will have many more chances.
He knows he’s good enough." Looking ahead, the European Tour schedule moves on with the Swiss Darts Trophy (9‑11 October) and the Dutch Darts Championship (16‑18 October) before the European Championship in Dortmund, Germany (22‑25 October). The next televised major on Sky Sports will be the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton (14‑22 November), followed by the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace (11 December‑3 January), where Luke Littler will defend his titles.