Luke Humphries fights past battling Ricardo Pietreczko to keep hopes of back to back World Grand Prix titles alive

Luke Humphries secured a spot in the last eight at the World Grand Prix. The defending champion at the tournament in Leicester won 3-1 in sets over Ricardo Pietreczko in the second round.

It did not get as exciting as it did at the last World Darts Championship. Then Pietreczko managed to take a 3-1 lead before Humphries won 4-3. However, the German did play another good match against 'Cool Hand Luke' with an average of 91.73. Humphries countered with an average of 92.01 and a finishing percentage of 45 percent.

Humphries won the first set convincingly 3-0, but Pietreczko brought the tension back in the second set. 'Pikachu' twice held his own leg and then broke Humphries with a 17-darter to take the second set 3-1.

Pietreczko then missed a chance to take the lead in set three before Humphries fired a 112 finish. Pietreczko then made it 1-1, before Humphries retook the lead with a 14-darter. Pietreczko missed a chance to sign for the 2-2 before Humphries took the set with a fine 130 finish.

Humphries then immediately posted a break in the fourth set with a 14-darter and held his own leg in 14 arrows for a 2-0 lead. Pietreczko halved the deficit with a 78 finish, then left 55 after twelve arrows in Humphries' leg. However, the German did not get the chance to throw for it, as Humphries threw out 90 to put the match over the line.