Finally, Luke Humphries could smash his glass cage of emotion and savour the sensation of achieving his dream. The new world darts champion paid tribute to his beaten opponent, Luke Littler, after winning a pulsating match by seven sets to four, and stated his belief that the rise of the wonderkid from Warrington was a phenomenon unprecedented in the sport.
“All day, in the back of my mind, I’ve been thinking: ‘Get this won now, because he’s going to dominate world darts soon’,” Humphries said after his draining triumph. “Luke has been an unbelievable talent. Not just on the dartboard: he has been fantastic with all the media, and he took defeat so well there. You will never see another 16-year-old kid like him. He’s something else. He’s one of the finest players in the world, there’s no doubt about that.”
