Luke Humphries captured his second World Grand Prix crown after mounting a remarkable comeback against Gerwyn Price, ultimately prevailing 6-4 in a pulse‑pounding final at Leicester's Mattioli Arena. The Englishman, who made history by becoming the first player to reach the Grand Prix final for four consecutive years, found himself trailing 3-0 before turning the tide and winning six of the next seven sets to secure his first major title of the season. From the opening leg, Price dominated, dispatching the first set in a flawless 34‑dart display that featured two perfect 12‑dart legs and a spectacular 10‑dart finish to break Humphries. The Welshman kept the pressure on, taking the second set after Humphries missed three darts at a crucial break, and then extending his lead with a third‑set victory that included a 101 checkout.
By the time the fourth set began, Price was up 3-0 and appeared to be cruising toward another major triumph. Humphries, however, refused to concede. In the deciding leg of the fourth set he produced a stunning 105 checkout that halted Price's momentum and prevented the deficit from widening further. That checkout ignited a surge of confidence, and Humphries proceeded to claim four consecutive sets.
He capitalized on several missed set darts from Price, stringing together five straight legs to seal the fifth set and then closing out the sixth with a series of high‑scoring visits and precise doubles. The turning point came early in the fifth set when Humphries hit an 11‑dart leg on his throw and followed it with a break of Price's throw in the next leg. He then wrapped up the set on double 16, completing a run of four sets in a row that shifted the match’s balance. Price, visibly shaken, managed to level the match by breaking Humphries in a chaotic opening leg of the seventh set and then sweeping that set, but his momentum stalled when he squandered two set darts that could have delivered a decisive advantage.
Seizing the opportunity, Humphries broke Price again and delivered an extraordinary 10‑dart finish to take the eighth set. He then accelerated his dominance, winning the ninth set in straight legs and sealing the match with an 11‑dart finish that left the crowd roaring. The Englishman finished with a 93.16 three‑dart average and recorded ten 180s, underscoring the high quality of his performance.
In the post‑match interview, Humphries reflected on the significance of the victory: "This win means a lot after a long stretch without a major. The biggest moment for me was that 180 followed by a 105 checkout in the fourth set – when Gezzy was up 4‑0 I thought it was over, but at 3‑1 I relaxed and found my rhythm. I feel I deserved a major, and even though Gerwyn played better at times, I showed the grit and determination needed to win. It’s sweeter when you have to fight for it, and I can’t wait to bring the trophy home for my son so he sees his dad as a champion, not just a runner‑up." Price, who is still searching for his first major since the 2022 World Series Finals in Amsterdam, expressed disappointment but remained hopeful: "I don’t want to win a major, do I?
Luke played brilliantly in the middle of the match, but I missed too many chances to put pressure on him. It’s a fantastic game, and it comes down to who takes their opportunities. I’m gutted to lose another final, but I’ll move on and keep working." Veteran commentator Wayne Mardle of Sky Sports Darts praised Humphries' resilience: "Luke was in trouble, then a bit more, then even more – pulling out of that hole was an incredible effort.
The last two sets were his best. He was under the cosh for over an hour but never gave in. He stood up to everything Gezzy threw at him, which was a lot.
When you’ve won before, you have that belief that you can survive pressure and trust your game, rather than thinking you’re doomed. He played his game and he won." Mardle also noted Price’s reaction: "Gezzy tightened up after a great start.
He says things in the heat of the moment, but you can see he wants it. You can’t compete like that if you don’t care.
It’s disheartening to be 3‑0 up and not finish it, but he’s lost enough finals to know nothing is guaranteed. He’s still young and will have many more chances – he knows he’s good enough." The victory places Humphries among an elite group, making him only the fourth player ever to claim multiple World Grand Prix titles.
The win also awards him £150,000 and extends the wait for another TV major for the so‑called "Ice Man". Looking ahead, the European Tour continues with the Swiss Darts Trophy (9‑11 October) and the Dutch Darts Championship (16‑18 October), followed by the European Championship in Dortmund (22‑25 October). The next televised major on Sky Sports will be the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton (14‑22 November), leading up to the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace (11 December‑3 January), where defending champion Michael Smith will aim to retain his crown. Fans can follow all the action via Sky Sports’ streaming service, which offers flexible contracts and the latest deals for darts enthusiasts worldwide.