December 15th 2024.
Luke Humphries didn't have a single misstep in his first match at the Ally Pally. The defending World Darts Champion cruised to a 3-0 victory over Thibault Tricole, despite not playing at his absolute best. Tricole, who had just defeated Joe Comito earlier in the evening, was no match for Humphries' impressive performance.
The Frenchman was left disappointed as Humphries only needed to average 90.79 to secure a clean sweep. It was a bit of a lackluster match for Tricole, but for Humphries, it was all about getting the win. He will now move on to the third round after Christmas, where he will face either Raymond van Barneveld, Nick Kenny, or Stowe Buntz.
Reflecting on his performance, Humphries admitted that he wasn't as precise as he'd like to be. "Not the best performance from myself, I didn't feel like I was very clinical in moments," he said. However, he was quick to mention the incredible atmosphere at the Alexandra Palace, which gave him a boost. "The crowd was so amazing. That was one of the best crowds I've ever been in a room with. It made me feel amazing. I don't get that very often, so it was really nice," he shared.
While he may not have been at his best, Humphries is already looking forward to the next stage of the tournament. "Now you go into the second part of the tournament, come back after Christmas, that's when you can be at your best and you can really think about being world champion," he said confidently.
The 29-year-old knows that he is a target for his opponents, especially in the early stages of the tournament. "I always said, if you're going to get me, get me early. That's the one. Now I feel like I'm going to be a lot more relaxed when I come back, and that's when I'm most dangerous," he said.
With his eyes set on becoming just the seventh player to win multiple PDC World Darts Championship titles, Humphries is determined to finish the year on a high note. He has already had a fantastic year, winning three major titles including the World Matchplay and Players Championship Finals. "Incredibly proud," he said of his achievements. "I think probably for me, it's been one of the better years since Michael van Gerwen, when he was world champion. There have been a lot of world champions since," he added.
Looking ahead to the rest of the tournament, Humphries knows that he has a tough road ahead. "If I don't end up being world champion, then I'd still be proud of the year because it's been great, but it would be a beautiful way to top it off, to be back-to-back world champion," he said.
As the tournament continues, there are still many exciting matches to come. The Monday 16 December schedule includes afternoon matches between Wesley Plaisier and Ryusei Azemoto, Luke Woodhouse and Lourence Ilagan, Alan Soutar and Kai Gotthardt, and James Wade and Jermaine Wattimena. In the evening session, fans can look forward to Niels Zonneveld versus Robert Owen, Connor Scutt versus Ben Robb, Cameron Menzies versus Leonard Gates, and Gerwyn Price versus Keane Barry.
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