"If he goes any higher then no one will touch him": Luke Humphries says sky's the limit for Luke Littler in resounding statement

Luke Humphries kicked off his title defence at the Players Championship Finals with a resounding success over Gabriel Clemens and he was one of only a few big names left standing in the draw.

Michael van Gerwen, Peter Wright, Gerwyn Price and Gary Anderson all headed out with only a familiar sight really of Humphries and Luke Littler as the marquee names. He spoke about not feeling himself as of late as well as the ceiling for Littler and the no-fear attitude embodied by wins for Edhouse and De Decker.

"I didn't feel myself. I didn't feel that lethal Luke Humphries self you usually feel up there but I don't care about how it went, as long as I win. That allows me to go into tomorrow to change things. It's hard to be your best all of the time, I've not been my best for a couple of weeks but I know what it takes to be at my best so I'll do what it takes to get back there," said Humphries to Oche.

"Sometimes it's nice to hit 110 averages and 105's and 102's but if you're doing that and losing it doesn't give you any confidence so as long as you're winning, that's all that really matters. If you're going to get me, you have to get me first round. That's when I feel a bit cold, not at my best. When I get through that first round, that's when I sort of flourish. Not saying that's going to happen but that's what usually happens."

But he said that in terms of Littler if he reaches his top level, no-one will touch him in the future but that he is there to challenge not watch him run away.

"I think all eyes have been on Luke and me this year. I've made four finals this year, he's made three or four. Eyes should be on the both of us. I think the way he played in the Grand Slam was unbelievable. It doesn't matter who would've played him I think he would've beaten everyone but it was the same as last year when I played in the Grand Slam."

"Me and Luke are capable of those moments where you're so good no-one can beat you. That was Luke's take on the Grand Slam. Luke is at a level right now, if he goes any higher then no one will touch him. That's an obvious thing."

"He's definitely at that level where you have to play your A-game or it's game over."

While he said that he doesn't particularly relish the big names going out and would rather they all be in but that the recent first-time winners have opened the floodgates that anything is possible.

"I like all the days when you've got the top top players still in and it's all exciting and you don't know who's going to win. I think everyone has taken inspiration from the likes of Ritchie Edhouse and Mike de Decker and Martin Lukeman that it doesn't matter who you are you can make major finals."

"That little bit inspiration is helping. The sport is getting so unpredictable that it's making it great."