Sport New number one
Humphries ascends the darts throne and makes the giants’ World Cup final perfect
As of: 12:23 a.m. | Reading time: 3 minutes
Cult caller Bray leaves the big stage
After the World Championships in January, darts is probably losing its most famous voice, Russ Bray. As “The Voice” announced on Thursday, the World Cup final will be his last. The 66-year-old will remain with the PDC in a different role.
Luke Humphries is the new number one in darts. With a furious 6-0 win in the World Cup semi-finals, he replaced Michael Smith at the top of the world rankings. Now he wants to inherit the “Bully Boy” as world champion. But the prodigy awaits in the finale.
With an impressive performance, the big title favorite Luke Humphries stormed into the final of the Darts World Cup in London. The 28-year-old Englishman outclassed his compatriot Scott Williams 6-0, achieved a point average of 108.74 and will meet debutant Luke Littler, who is twelve years his junior, on Wednesday evening (9 p.m., Sport1 and DAZN live).
The prodigy had previously averaged 106.08 points in his also clear 6-2 win against Rob Cross and was the youngest and third unseeded player in World Cup history after Kirk Shepherd (2008) and Simon Whitlock (2010) to reach the final.
For Humphries, who will be at the top of the Order of Merit for the first time thanks to his semi-final victory after the World Cup, it is experience that speaks most of all. “Cool Hand Luke” had won three of the last four major tournaments: the World Grand Prix, the Grand Slam of Darts and the Players Championship Finals.
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In his first World Cup semi-final he underlined his class again. In addition to the highest average of the entire World Cup tournament and 60 percent hits on the doubles courts, there were six high finishes in particular that documented his world class. The only big mistake that evening was made by Humphries in his interview before the match: “I expect a tough game because Scott showed how good he is against Michael van Gerwen.”
Humphries also checks the 170 points
Humphries checked 121 and 136 in the first two rounds and quickly took a 2-0 lead. He then took the first leg in the third set with the highest possible finish and became the sixth player at this World Cup to check 170 points. He then had an incredible 115.95 points, 77.8 percent on the doubles and then immediately followed up with five more perfect darts. A start on the edge of perfection.
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“It already felt good in the training area before the match. “Of the first 30 throws, there were ten 180s,” said Humphries, “It just feels really good at the moment.”
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Even when he let up a little for the first and last time and Williams was there immediately to take the set in the decider, Humphries also showed his timing and checked 126 points to make it 3-0 in sets.
Non-stop highlights: Luke Humphries is the new number one in the world
Quelle: Getty Images/Tom Dulat
The 4-0 meant a little more work for Humphries, he had to go to the decider. He made it 5-0 with a 121 checkout to make it 5-0. “Oh, how beautiful that is,” it echoed through Alexandra Palace, adding a German touch to the world-class performance. While the fans are still represented, the five players who started were already eliminated last year. The semi-final then became an all-English affair – with the two Lukes dominating.
Shortly afterwards, Humphries completed the duel between the namesakes with a 3-1 in the sixth set. Luke against Luke means the deserved final a year after Michael (Smith) against Michael (van Gerwen). They both threw four of the five highest match averages at this World Cup. “Luke has proven that he has the ability to win the World Cup. A lot of people think it can go one way or the other,” said Humphries, immediately adding: “The chances are 50:50.”
Darts World Cup, semi-finals
Rob Cross (ENG/8) – Luke Littler (ENG) 2:6 (3:2; 2:3; 1:3; 2:3; 3:2; 1:3; 1:3; 2:3)
Scott Williams (ENG) – Luke Humphries (ENG/3) 0:6 (2:3; 0:3; 2:3; 2:3; 0:3; 1:3)
