Luke Humphries won the European Darts Grand Prix (Picture: Kais Bodensieck/PDC Europe)

Darts results: Luke Humphries wins his third European Tour event of 2022 with victory over Rob Cross

By Chris Hammer

Darts

Mon May 23, 2022 · 3y ago

Luke Humphries underlined his major credentials by winning a third European Tour event of the season - and fourth overall - with victory over Rob Cross in the European Darts Grand Prix.

Only Michael van Gerwen has won more titles than 'Cool Hand' in 2022 with five, including his own hat-trick of European Tour trophies, but it's also the manner of his successes which is sending a huge warning sign to his rivals.

Humphries thrashed Brendan Dolan 6-0 in Sunday night's quarter-finals with an average of 100 before raising his level to 108 in a 7-4 triumph over Peter Wright in the last four.

Then, in a repeat last weekend's Czech Darts Open final against Cross, which he won 8-5, both players averaged around 102 before the 27-year-old from Newbury pinched glory in a deciding leg.

Humphries hit six of the 10 180s in a tremendous final and also hammered in three 100+ checkouts, including a finish from 108 to seal the title and a cheque for £25,000 that lifts him three places to 13 in the world rankings.

Voltage, who remains 10th on the Order of Merit, has now lost three European Tour finals this season but is showing real signs that he's getting back to his best.

Such has been Humphries' incredible form this season that he's now been slashed to 16/1 in places to win the World Championship - and that price will get even shorter if he continues to win titles.

"It's fantastic," said Humphries. "Rob's one of the nicest guys in the PDC and it's no coincidence [that] we have practiced together for the last two European Tours and made the final together.

"It was a great game, full of everything. At the start of that game we must have been averaging 113-114, it felt amazing. I know I dropped off a little bit but then I missed because Rob put me under pressure.

"I thought I played fantastic there but Rob was the better player overall because he was consistent throughout the whole game.

"I missed a couple of match darts but that 108 was clinical and one of the best out-shots of my career.

"I'm making huge strides in the game and there's a lot more to come."

Cross took the final's opening leg on double 18 and hit six perfect darts in leg two, only for Humphries to level in 11 darts and then claim two five-visit legs to move 3-1 up.

Cross hit legs of 14 and 13 darts in response either side of an 11-darter from Humphries, who then produced a remarkable eighth leg where he scored 21, 180 and a second 180 before finishing 120 for a 12-darter and a 5-3 cushion.

Humphries then powered in a sixth 180 of the final in another 11-darter to break throw for a three-leg lead.

Superb legs of 13 and 14 darts from Cross saw the gap closed to one leg, only for a clinical 121 bullseye finish to move Humphries a leg away from victory at 7-5.

Two missed match darts, at double 18, in the 13th leg allowed Cross to keep his hopes alive at 7-6, and another chance to close out victory - this time at double 16 - went begging as the 2018 World Champion forced a deciding leg.

Cross was first to a finish in the final leg, but was unable to give himself a dart at a double on a 118 finish, and Humphries stepped in to complete a 108 combination for glory.

Cross began Sunday's final stages in scintillating fashion by landing a 170 checking and finishing six doubles from as many attempts in a third round win over Krzysztof Ratajski.

He then overcame Rowby-John Rodriguez in the quarter-finals by a 6-4 scoreline before averaging an unstoppable 110.73 in his semi-final defeat of Damon Heta.

However, the reigning European Champion was left to rue another loss in a European Tour final - his seventh in a run spanning five years since turning professional in 2017.

"I'm glad I don't struggle with 'majors' to win them - these are ten times harder!" admitted Cross.

"Credit to Luke, I thought he played great, he was the better player and if he hit doubles earlier I was out of there earlier.

"He's superb and I've got a lot of time for him.