Humphries defends the European Darts Matchplay

On Sunday night, Luke Humphries successfully defended his Interwetten European Darts Matchplay crown by outlasting Dirk van Duijvenbode’s four missed match darts to win his sixth European Tour championship.

Despite having a stellar 2022 that included four victories on the European Tour, Humphries had four final losses in the first half of this year.

Despite twice averaging 109 in his march to the final, Humphries’ tendency appeared to be sticking around as Dutch sensation Van Duijvenbode got closer to winning his maiden stage championship.

Van Duijvenbode, who had an 8-6 lead, missed two darts to seal the victory, and in the decisive leg, another pair of championship darts painfully landed on the wrong side of the pin.

That allowed Humphries a reprieve from three misses of his own in a dramatic final leg, as double ten saw the world number six scoop the £30,000 top prize.

To pick my fifth one up is a big feeling,” said Humphries. “Overall I think I played well, but I was very lucky

 

“I’m so delighted but I’m struggling to celebrate this one – I feel so sorry for Dirk and I know how much that hurts.

“He had the chances there and didn’t take them. It’s horrible for him to lose that – Dirk’s a fantastic player and there’s no doubt he’s going to win five, six, seven, eight in the next couple of years because he’s an incredible player.

“I know how Dirk feels because I’ve lost four this year – it’s very hurtful and if I’d lost a fifth it probably would have crushed me a little bit more.

“I’m over the moon – I don’t want to be too down on myself, that’s my fifth title in less than a year so I’m really happy.”

Humphries began his championship defence on Saturday night with a straightforward victory over Marko Kantele in the round of 32. On Sunday, he was in fine form as he defeated Stephen Bunting and Nathan Aspinall to get to the semifinals.

In a thrilling last-four matchup, he averaged nearly 106 to defeat James Wade’s 109 average, winning 7-5 despite the left-hander’s ten 180s and finishes of 150 and 130.

Humphries won the first leg of the final, but Van Duijvenbode went on to win the following three, including a 12-darter throw break with his third 127 finish of the weekend, to seize the lead.

The Dutchman responded once more, following an earlier 100 checkout with a 13-darter and a 161 finish to lead 6-5, before tops placed him one leg away from the championship. Humphries won four of the following five games to regain the lead at 5-4.

Humphries answered immediately with a 12-darter on tops, but Van Duijvenbode missed double 16 for a 112 checkout and then painfully watched his dart at double 8 land in the single 16 when he returned to the oche, bursting his score.

Humphries made top throws to force a final leg, and he was the first across the finish line when he wired three darts at double ten.

 

Van Duijvenbode’s second opportunity to win, however, eluded him with two missed darts at tops. Humphries came back to seal an epic victory.

After defeating UK Open champion Andrew Gilding on Saturday, Van Duijvenbode dominated Dimitri Van den Bergh in the third round on Sunday with a score of 107.

He then prevailed over World Champion Michael Smith 6-4 in the quarterfinals before fending off Joe Cullen’s comeback from 5-2 down to win the match 7-6.

A European Tour final earlier this year saw Van Duijvenbode lose to Gerwyn Price in a decisive leg without possessing match darts, and he acknowledged:

“It’s not very positive because I choked again but at least I’m playing okay again,” he said.

“My confidence isn’t there, I’m not in my best form and I should have easily won – I missed so many doubles during the game as well.

“You miss so many match darts just because your head is such a storm – I couldn’t calm it down but it is what it is.”

2023 Interwetten European Darts Matchplay

Sunday July 2

Third Round

Afternoon Session

Raymond van Barneveld 6-5 Ryan Searle

Joe Cullen 6-4 Ryan Joyce

Michael Smith 6-4 Josh Rock

Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-0 Dimitri Van den Bergh

James Wade 6-2 Rob Cross

Gian van Veen 6-2 Martin Schindler

Nathan Aspinall 6-3 Danny Noppert

Luke Humphries 6-3 Stephen Bunting

 

Evening Session 

Quarter-Finals

Joe Cullen 6-4 Raymond van Barneveld

Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-4 Michael Smith

James Wade 6-3 Gian van Veen

Luke Humphries 6-2 Nathan Aspinall

 

Semi-Finals

Dirk van Duijvenbode 7-6 Joe Cullen

Luke Humphries 7-5 James Wade

 

Final

Luke Humphries 8-7 Dirk van Duijvenbode