"I feel like I'm playing better darts than I ever have, in a way": Statistics back up Luke Humphries World Darts Championship confidence

Luke Humphries was paired with Ted Evetts in the PDC World Darts Championship draw. 'Cool Hand Luke' will hunt for his second world title at Alexandra Palace, after already triumphing once in 2024 by defeating Luke Littler 7-4 in the final.

Humphries is looking forward to his duel with Evetts at Ally Pally. "It's an unknown, because obviously I know Ted very well, but I don't know how well he's playing. I've not really seen him play for a few years. But he's obviously doing well because he's done well on the Challenge Tour. It's going to be a tough game — it's not going to be an easy one for me.

The 30-year-old will prepare well in the coming weeks. "I've obviously got loads of exhibitions booked in to get myself really match-sharp and playing well. The way I've been playing recently, I feel really confident that I can have a good run this year and maybe go all the way. So it's important that the preparation goes well and that the practice does me some good."

Humphries captured the world title in 2024, last year he went out in fourth round against Peter Wright. "I think I'm playing the best darts I've played for a long, long time, to be honest. I think the stats on my last three majors — the World Grand Prix, the Grand Slam and the European Championship — were the best I've ever had in any of the tournaments I've played in."

Humphries went out in the first round at the Players Championship Finals last weekend. The three majors before that, however, he reached the final each time. "The World Grand Slam was better than when I won it, the stats were better in the World Grand Prix than when I won it, and the stats in the European Championship this year were better than I've ever produced in it. So I feel like I'm playing better darts than I ever have, in a way."

'Cool Hand Luke' has also tinkered with his equipment in recent months. "You've got to be open to changing things if something's not working, and I feel like I am. I'm open to changing darts or stems, flights, throw — whatever it may be, stance — just to get myself better, because maybe that's what I need to do. I need to get better to win these big major finals. So yeah, I'm open to changing things, and slowing that throw down a little bit has really benefited me."

Should Humphries survive his first round, he will next take on the winner of the duel between Jeffrey de Graaf and the now 71-year-old living legend Paul Lim.

"Winning it once was always my dream, and that dream's completed, but now it's my chance to put my name in that legacy — that rare feat of winning it twice. When you win it once, loads of people have, and like I said, that dream's achieved. But doing it twice — yeah, you're in a different league of players. I think there's only six or seven who've ever done it before, and I'd love to add my name to that."