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Matchplay Glory For Humphries And Greaves In Blackpool

Matchplay Glory For Humphries And Greaves In Blackpool

Alex Moss |

A WEEK IN DARTS – JULY 22, 2024 – HUMPHRIES AND GREAVES SEAL MATCHPLAY TITLES IN BLACKPOOL

A thrilling week of darts in Blackpool reached its conclusion as a new name was added to the Phil Taylor Trophy on Sunday. Here’s our recap of the 2024 World Matchplay…

ANOTHER MAJOR TITLE FOR HUMPHRIES

Luke Humphries held off a valiant fightback from Michael van Gerwen to win the World Matchplay for the first time on Sunday.

The world number one continued his dominant run on the PDC tour, defeating Michael van Gerwen 18-15 in a thrilling final at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens.

The victory marked a fifth major ranking title in just nine months for Humphries, as he became only the seventh player in PDC history to reach that figure of titles.

“I almost feel more emotional than I did when I won the World Championship,” said Humphries, who averaged 100.94 and hit 12 maximums in the final.

“I feel very privileged to hold this trophy – so many great players have won this title, especially Phil Taylor – the 16-time champion.

“I’m over the moon to put my name on it, and to do it in the same year I won the World Championship really means the world to me.”

After trailing 3-2 at the first interval, Humphries seized control with a run of four straight legs to open up a 6-3 lead.

A 141 finish helped the top seed go 7-5 up and he would remain in front up until the 24th leg, as van Gerwen hit back with consecutive 100+ finishes to level the final at 12-12.

‘Cool Hand’ rallied again with a brilliant 131 finish to go 16-13 up, but van Gerwen, a three-time World Matchplay champion, refused to relent and took out 160 and 108 checkouts to close the gap to just one leg.

But the Dutchman would pay for missed doubles in the next two legs, missing four darts at double in a dramatic 32nd leg, followed by four more darts in the 33rd leg, and Humphries won them both, wrapping up the title with a stunning tops-tops 100 finish.

The 29-year-old also joins Phil Taylor as only the second player to win the World Matchplay and average over 100 in every game, as he also posted three-figure averages in wins over Ricardo Pietreczko, Stephen Bunting, Dimitri Van den Bergh and James Wade earlier in the event.

Meanwhile, van Gerwen’s run to a fifth World Matchplay final saw him beat Luke Littler, Joe Cullen, Andrew Gilding and Michael Smith, before falling just short against Humphries in the decider.

GREAVES RETAINS WOMEN’S MATCHPLAY CROWN

Beau Greaves produced a record-breaking performance to become the first two-time winner of the Women’s World Matchplay on Sunday.

The 20-year-old returned to Blackpool’s Winter Gardens at the weekend for the third staging of the competition as the defending champion, having lifted the title on her debut 12 months ago.

And after seeing off Katie Sheldon and Mikuru Suzuki to book her spot in the final, Greaves averaged 98.75 in a 6-3 success against the 2022 champion Fallon Sherrock – the highest match average in the history of the Women’s World Matchplay.

“I played really well in that final, and I’m over the moon to win this again,” Greaves said.

“It’s nice to share this stage with Fallon. She’s achieved great things here too, so I’m grateful for this moment.

“I felt really nervous in my first game. I knew it was going to be a challenge today, but when I needed to, I raised my game.

“I’m just thankful I have the trophy back, and hopefully I have it for a few more years to come!”

The victory for Greaves has also earned her qualification for the Grand Slam of Darts and the PDC World Darts Championship later this year.

The race to qualify for the 2025 Women’s World Matchplay begins with the next block of Women’s Series events in Niedernhausen next month.

LITTLER BACK IN THE WINNERS’ CIRCLE

Away from the World Matchplay, it did not take long for Luke Littler to get back to winning ways as the teenager cleaned up at the Cheshire Open at the weekend.

The Premier League champion lost out to Michael van Gerwen in the first round of his Winter Gardens debut on Monday last week.

But the 17-year-old was soon back on the oche and tasting success as he won the warm up singles and men’s singles at one of his local tournaments, held at The Coppenhall Club, in Crewe, over the weekend.

Littler wrote on Instagram: ‘Some weekend winning the warm up men’s event and the Cheshire Open men’s singles. Good to see all my fellow teammates from Cheshire.’

Pictures: PDC

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