"Hopefully that’s not his last one": Luke Humphries hopes Paul Lim returns for Ally Pally expansion, expected barrage of crowd abuse

Luke Humphries booked his place in the third round of the 2026 World Darts Championship without too much fuss. The reigning world champion beat crowd favourite Paul Lim 3–0 in sets, but behind that seemingly straightforward scoreline was a match full of respect, history and self-reflection. Humphries played two sets at an almost untouchable level, then showed he can still win when the absolute edge slips a little.

“You plan it in your mind, don’t you?” Humphries said afterwards. “You think, win straight sets and no unnecessary drama, but the way Paul started off it kind of felt like I was in a game here. He set the tone, a good 180, and maybe that helped me a little bit to think, you know, I’m in a real big game here.”

Humphries started brilliantly. With a 12-darter in the opening leg and an average of over 108 across the first two sets, he gave Lim little room to get into the match.

“Great first leg for myself, 12-darter, and the first two sets were really clinical for myself,” he said. “I felt like I scored really well, finished really well and, you know, didn’t really give him that opportunity to try and get back at me.”

The level dipped slightly in the third set. Humphries kept winning, but the dominant feeling faded. Still, there was no frustration. “I did it against Ted Evetts, it doesn’t bother me,” he explained. “It’s kind of one of them scenarios where, you know, if you’re not getting a lot thrown back at you, it can become a little bit harder for yourself.”

According to Humphries, it was more about comfort than complacency. “If you’re playing against a player that’s pushing you all the way and I’m not winning sets 3–0, you know, you’re in a big, big game,” he said. “I kind of felt like I was really comfortable and I relaxed too much. When I come back after Christmas against Gabriel, you won’t see a set like that again. I won’t play like that in a set, no.”

The match against Lim was more than just a second round. It was also a renewed meeting with a player who, five years ago, played a key role in Humphries’ career. “He really is a legend,” Humphries said. “He really is a nice guy as everyone thinks he is. He really is that person. He’s really respectful and it was just nice to share the stage with him again.”

Humphries admitted the atmosphere at Alexandra Palace exceeded expectations. “The crowd were really good,” he said. “They wasn’t really unfair to me. I kind of expected a lot worse. They were what darts should be like. You celebrate the person you want to win.”

“The atmosphere that they created for Paul, I kind of don’t know if I’ve ever experienced one so great as that,” he added. “Fair play to him because he’s the kind of man that really deserves a great reception like he did.”

Humphries also hopes this will not be Lim’s final appearance on the World Championship stage. “Hopefully that’s not his last one and hopefully he comes back again next year in the Great Hall and at least has one more,” he said. “I’m hoping that we see him in Bahrain and Saudi as well in the World Series because he’s still a great player and he’s still got a lot to give.”

Memories of 2021 inevitably resurfaced, when Lim defeated Humphries at the World Championship — a loss that proved transformational. “I’m not the same person I was in 2021,” Humphries said. “I’m a more experienced player, a more dedicated player. That loss changed me as a person.”

The physical demands of the match were the wake-up call. “When I was two sets up, the tiredness that I kind of experienced, I couldn’t control it,” he explained. “It was a long format and I couldn’t do it. I thought, if I can’t do 25 legs, I’m never going to win a World Championship. I’m never going to win a big major tournament because they’re long formats. That was what changed me mostly,” he added.

That evolution has made him better equipped to handle occasions like this one. “That level of experience does help you,” Humphries said. “Not that the crowd affects me, but you know how to deal with everything better.”

Emotional control was key on a night full of sentiment. “It’s easy to get carried away and appreciate the moment,” he said. “But this is the World Championships. You have to have a level head. You’re in this to win it. I’ve got that level of experience now to not let them things affect me performance-wise.”

The long gap between matches was no issue either. “This is my ninth World Championships,” he said. “I’m kind of used to having seven or eight days in between your first and second game. The break doesn’t really bother me anymore.”

With big names already out of the tournament, Humphries is under no illusions. “Are they really shocks?” he asked. “There’s players out there that can beat anybody. If you’re not on it, these things can happen.”

That’s why he refuses to look ahead. “I’m not thinking that I’m in that final,” he said. “I’ve got a tough draw to go through. Any single person you play now can knock you out.”

On the dominance of himself and Luke Littler, Humphries was unapologetic. “Me and Luke are the two best players in the world,” he said. “That’s not going to change. It’s up to people to stop us.”

He highlighted Gian van Veen as one of those capable challengers. “He’s definitely capable of beating me for sure,” Humphries said. “He’s beaten me quite a few times. He’s definitely capable of beating Luke as well.”

As for the Christmas break, there will be no drastic changes. “I’m not going to start practising more than I usually do,” he said. “Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, I’ll do an hour, hour and a half like I usually would.”

With a smile, he added: “You can celebrate Christmas afterwards, you know, when you’re world champion. Plus it’s something to do whilst the turkey’s cooking — although I’m cooking the whole Christmas dinner, so I won’t get time to practise while that’s cooking.”