"Would be a statement to be a two-time World Champion" - Luke Humphries out to emulate the likes of Adrian Lewis & Gary Anderson by defending first world title

Luke Humphries starts the 2025 World Darts Championship in two weeks as defending champion and one of the pre-tournament favourites. The 29-year-old Englishman, who also leads the world rankings, is out to emulate the likes of Adrian Lewis and Gary Anderson in retaining their world title at the Alexandra Palace.

The prospect of a second consecutive world title is already making Humphries excited. "I think it would just be that absolute dream that you feel like you're never going to wake up from," Humphries tells Sky Sports. "When you're a one-time World Champion, it's always amazing, but when you're a two-time champion, it kind of puts you up there in the higher elite of the players that have ever played this sport."

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"This would be a great statement for myself to be a two-time World Champion before I'm 30 [Humphries turns 30 in February]. It's set a good precedent for me to go on and win a lot more in the future, but it's going to be tough," continues 'Cool Hand Luke', having the World Matchplay among other things to his trophy cabinet in 2024. "You want to go on and do it again. The toughness of how the sport's going, you kind of have to maybe think, try and get as many in as early as you can before maybe the new generation comes through."

Luke Humphries in action at the Players Championship Finals last month

Humphries is coming to Alexandra Palace in top form. He most recently retained the Players Championship Finals title in Minehead. An ome perhaps for the Alexandra Palace? "Like I said, I'm in that rich vein of form and I'm playing well over the last 18 months. So it's a great opportunity to go on and try and get as many titles as I can," he analyses.

"I've got many years to go, but when I'm in this form, when I'm winning these titles and I'm at the top of my game, I feel like you want to take advantage of the way you're playing to go on and win more," Humphries added. "The way I was playing at the back in the last year, it would have been easy for me to just think I was going to win, but I thought winning major tournaments and then winning World Championships are completely two different things to do. It's so much harder. I didn't realise how hard it was, but it was mentally challenging. I rode my luck in moments and maybe I might have to do that this year if I do win, but you've just got to believe in yourself. The good thing for me is I'll take from that as I know how to do it."

Humphries will be in action Sunday, December 15th, on opening night at the World Darts Championship. 'Cool Hand Luke' will take on the winner of the opening match of the tournament between Thibault Tricole and Joe Comito.

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