Luke Humphries joins Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen in distinguished club after reaching third consecutive World Grand Prix final

Luke Humphries has cemented his name into darting folklore last night after defeating Danny Noppert 5-3 to reach his third consecutive World Grand Prix final, a feat only achieved by Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen.

Cool Hand Luke has looked imperious at times enroute to the final, defeating Nathan Aspinall, Krzysztof Ratajski, Cameron Menzies, and Noppert in convincing fashion. A second World Grand Prix title is on the line, but standing in his way is the world champion Luke Littler, who is searching for his first title at the Mattioli Arena. They are set to add another chapter in what is becoming the biggest current rivalry in the sport.

The World Grand Prix is notoriously hard for players to consistently put in good results and deep runs with the double-in double-out format catching most players off guard once in a while. Only Taylor and van Gerwen have managed to defend their title, with Humphries squandering the chance to do so last year against Mike De Decker.

While that club is off limits for now, the world number one has joined the prestigious duo in being the only three players to reach three consecutive World Grand Prix finals. Taylor completed the feat between 1998 and 2000, while van Gerwen did it from 2014-2016.

These two have been the dominant forces in the event, with 17 of the 27 events either being won by Taylor or van Gerwen. They are also the only players to regain their title the next year, something which is almost seen as a curse for many reigning champions, including the 2024 winner De Decker.

If Humphries wins the final tonight over Littler, he will become the fourth player to win multiple World Grand Prix titles, being tied with James Wade with two titles but still quite a distance off Taylor (11) and van Gerwen (6), the masters of the double-in double-out tournament.