"I don't think he'll ever find that form again": Luke Humphries honest on Van Gerwen's aura diminishing after World Matchplay win

Luke Humphries lived up to his pre-tournament billing as the man to beat adding another major title to his CV and completing the set alongside Phil Taylor of winning both the World Championship and World Matchplay in the same year.

He defeated Michael van Gerwen 18-15 in the World Matchplay final on Sunday evening and he believes he deserved to seal the win after the performances he has put in during his time in Blackpool.

"It's definitely up there as the second best night of my career. Always the World's will be the number one, that will never take place but the way it felt when I won it, it felt really really close. I didn't expect it to mean so much to me. But the way I played this week I thought I deserve this. You don't always get what you deserve in sport and sometimes it doesn't go your way but five 100 averages on the trot. No-one can say I didn't deserve to win this to be honest. I had to work incredibly hard and beat some great players to do it," said Humphries.

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"I could've been 13-7 up in a way. I think there was a couple of missed opportunities. But when you're in big finals sometimes you miss them opportunities and are trying too hard I don't know but my doubling was very good at times. I can't be too critical but the way Michael come back. It was not unexpected but I felt like I've watched a few of his games this week and I felt like when he was put under pressure, he was very vulnerable. Tonight he wasn't."

"Just unfortunate at the end that there were a few boos and whistles that kind of you don't really want. I tried to tell them to stop but they're going to have their own opinion. For me I'm not used to having the crowd on my side so as a whole before that it was nice to have the crowd wanting me to win."

But he was also honest about his opponent and said that he doesn't believe he will ever return to the MVG of old.

"I think I just play my own game and don't play the player. If you play the player, the name you may try too hard to beat him. I love playing against him. He's a fantastic player and talent. When we had that period between 2012-2013 - 2019, it was just unbelievable. No-one could beat him. I don't think he'll ever find that form again. I don't think that's there anymore. He's still a player to beat, he's still going to win many major titles in the future. But for me just to win this and not have to worry about doing it again, because obviously I want to win it again but to know that's on my CV for the rest of my life it's a dream come true."

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