Luke Humphries overcomes Kim Huybrechts to win Czech Darts Open title

Humphries took the £30,000 top prize with a crushing 8-1 victory over Belgian Huybrechts in which he averaged 105.57.

Mon, 21 Oct, 2024 - 09:45

World number one Luke Humphries claimed the Czech Darts Open title after getting past Luke Littler and then thrashing Kim Huybrechts in Prague.

Humphries took the £30,000 top prize with a crushing 8-1 victory over Belgian Huybrechts in which he averaged 105.57.

That followed a compelling 7-4 semi-final win against Littler, whose run to that point had included posting averages of 110.43, a new tournament record, when beating Nathan Aspinall 6-1 on Saturday, then 116.51 to break the record in a 6-3 victory over Damon Heta, and 110.57 in a stunning 6-1 triumph against Michael van Gerwen.

HUMPHRIES TAKES THE TITLE! 🏆

Luke Humphries hammers Kim Huybrechts 8-1 to win the Czech Darts Open! 🇨🇿

📺 https://t.co/YyBPPwoMK8 #ET13 | Final pic.twitter.com/N1OsOxk6t6
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) October 20, 2024

When Humphries took on the 17-year-old star – the player he defeated to become world champion in January – in the last four the averages were 108.56 and 106.73 respectively.

Humphries had previously beaten Ritchie Edhouse on Saturday, and then Gian van Veen and Mike De Decker, to whom he had lost in last week’s World Grand Prix final.

And he said in quotes on pdc.tv: “When I beat Ritchie Edhouse on Saturday I felt good, but I felt I needed a spark, and I found it today.

“When I beat Gian I felt that spark again, but I still know there’s another level in me, and I believe I can get better.

“It’s nice to bounce back (from the World Grand Prix), because when you lose in major finals it’s not easy; it does hurt you, so this a nice way to finish my ProTour season.

🗣️ "I’m going to change things and I’m going to win more – that’s my commitment to the game!"

Luke Humphries stormed to his second Gambrinus Czech Darts Open title with a crushing 8-1 victory over Kim Huybrechts in Prague on Sunday.

📝 https://t.co/QKsYOsCouP pic.twitter.com/xXcyzysLBo
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) October 20, 2024

“I’m going to come back next year and I’m going to work harder. I’m going to change things and I’m going to win more – that’s my commitment to the game!”

Littler’s quarter-final win against Van Gerwen saw the Dutchman set a new record, with his 112.19 the highest losing average in European Tour history.