Luke Humphries Ends 10-Week Wait for Premier League Victory
In a thrilling match at the First Direct Arena in Leeds, Luke Humphries brought an end to his 10-week wait for a Premier League nightly victory, edging out Luke Littler 6-5 in a tense finale. The 30-year-old, who had not won a final since beating Littler on night four in Exeter, came from 2-0 down to triumph over ‘The Nuke’ in a high-stakes encounter.
According to reports from the BBC, Humphries averaged an impressive 100.96, with 18-year-old Littler not far behind at 99.89. Wearing a Leeds United-inspired yellow and blue shirt, ‘Cool Hand Luke’ made a sluggish start as Littler took charge, but Humphries then won three straight legs to edge 5-3 ahead.
The match was marked by a series of errors and brilliant performances from both players, with Littler hitting back to take the match to a final-leg decider. Both men missed bull finishes for 100-plus checkouts, but Humphries kept his composure to hit double 10 and seal the success. As quoted by the BBC, Humphries said: "When you know you’re playing against Luke Littler you know you’re not going to get away with mid-game performances, you need to be at your best to beat him."
The BBC reports that Humphries had earlier overcome bottom-of-the-table Stephen Bunting 6-4 in the semi-finals to set up a fourth Premier League final of the season against Littler. A 6-4 win in the last eight over Michael van Gerwen also confirmed his place at finals night on 29 May at the O2 Arena, while Bunting’s defeat ruled him out of the finals reckoning.
In the semi-finals, Littler showed his quality in a convincing 6-3 victory over Gerwyn Price, where the defending Premier League champion came back from 2-0 down to dominate. The BBC notes that Price’s 6-5 quarter-final victory over Rob Cross, combined with future fixtures, saw him confirm his place in the top four.
Humphries’ victory was an emotional one, with the player stating that it was "extra special to win in Leeds, I feel at home here. I know it isn’t my hometown but it does feel extra special. I won here last year and it gave me extra confidence for the finals night and hopefully it does again – and I can get that elusive Premier League crown that I’ve always dreamed of." This sentiment was echoed in a report by the BBC, which highlighted Humphries’ determination to secure the Premier League crown.
The result marks a significant boost for Humphries, who is now well-placed to challenge for the Premier League title. As reported by the BBC, Humphries’ victory in Leeds could be a crucial step towards achieving his goal of becoming Premier League champion.
