Luke Humphries admitted that he must raise his game if he hopes to secure a second World Grand Prix crown, and he confessed that he would have liked defending champion Luke Littler to stay in the tournament longer. The 2023 champion, who has been runner‑up in the last two editions of the double‑start event, delivered a rather underwhelming display in his straight‑sets win over Dave Chisnall at the Mattioli Arena. The world No. 2 managed to hit fewer than 27 percent of his checkout attempts and posted an average of 80.41 – his lowest figure at this stage of the competition since the 2022 edition.
Despite the sub‑par numbers, he was relieved not to join the ranks of Littler and Michael van Gerwen, both of whom fell in the opening round. "That was probably one of the worst outings I've ever had on the World Grand Prix stage," Humphries said after the match. "I never felt comfortable throughout the whole encounter.
The doubles just weren’t clicking at 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 great performance, but I’m through to the next round and when I face Jermaine [Wattimena] on Thursday I hope you’ll see a different side of me!" With defending champion Luke Littler having suffered a shock loss to Luke Woodhouse, Humphries now finds himself the favourite to lift the trophy. Yet he acknowledges that the absence of the world No. 1 from the field adds an extra layer of pressure. "I hate it when he loses because it instantly puts the burden on me.
Suddenly everyone thinks ‘this is your chance to win’, and that kind of expectation can be overwhelming," Humphries explained. "I’d love to meet him in a final, beat him there, and not have to lose to him in a final. I thrive on the idea of playing a final, it gets me pumped up." He continued, "When he’s knocked out I don’t celebrate.
Instead, the pressure shifts entirely onto my shoulders and sometimes that doesn’t help my game. I would rather he stay in the tournament as the favourite so I could try to sneak my way into the final behind him." Humphries’ 2023 triumph was his first PDC‑ranked television title and sparked a dominant finish to that season. Since then, however, the player known as ‘Cool Hand’ has endured a string of near‑misses, finishing runner‑up in several major events after his World Masters and Premier League victories last year.
"I feel like I deserve a major title – I’ve been in six or seven finals and lost them all," Humphries said. "I played a superb Premier League final and a World Masters final – both at a 105 average – and still came up short. It’s tough to swallow." He reflected on the difficulty of beating top talent, "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 major, but sometimes life doesn’t hand you what you think you’ve earned." Looking ahead, Humphries stressed the need for consistency, "I need to win four more matches and raise my level dramatically.
If I keep performing at this level, I’ll be lucky just to reach the quarter‑finals or semis." During his progress to the last‑16, the former world champion sparked curiosity on social media after appearing on stage with a noticeable scab on his head. He clarified that the blemish had no impact on his play. "I wanted to spin an epic tale about battling five opponents and coming out on top, but the truth is less dramatic," Humphries laughed. "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." He speculated that the reaction was likely caused by cosmetics used for TV appearances, "When you do TV shows they put makeup on, creams, all sorts of stuff.
I think I had an allergic reaction to something they applied to my head and face. I haven’t seen a doctor yet, but it looks like an allergic response.
I’m feeling fine otherwise." Humphries’ candid comments about the rash and his desire to improve underscore the mental and physical challenges players face on the high‑stakes darts circuit. The World Grand Prix continues to unfold, with live coverage on Sky Sports each day up to the final on Sunday, and streaming options available via NOW without a contract.
The tournament promises more drama as the remaining contenders, including Humphries, aim to seize the title amid mounting expectations and the ever‑present pressure of elite competition.