Humphries Produces Dazzling Display as Smith, Price and Evans Join Him in Grand Slam Quarter-Finals

World number one Luke Humphries lit up Wolverhampton on Wednesday night with one of the greatest performances in Grand Slam history, as he stormed into the quarter-finals of the Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts alongside Michael Smith, Gerwyn Price and Ricky Evans.

Humphries stole the show with a stunning 10–3 win over Dutch youngster Jurjen van der Velde, averaging 108.55 — the third-highest average ever recorded in Round Two of the tournament. The reigning World Champion did so despite struggling with neck and back pain that left him fearing he might not even compete.

The Englishman came flying out of the blocks, racing into a 5–0 lead while averaging over 119. His early dominance included a flawless ten-dart leg, in which he took out the classic nine-dart combination of 141 before finishing tops. Van der Velde managed to produce a brilliant 164 checkout to get on the board, but Humphries’ accuracy on the doubles — landing 77% — ensured there was no way back for his opponent.

“It was probably one of the best performances I’ve ever had in my life,” admitted Humphries. “I woke up this morning and couldn’t get my head off the pillow; I’ve had a bad neck for a few days. It’s been a struggle for me all day. It’s crazy how you can perform like that with an injury I’ve had to deal with. I cannot believe I’ve done that. I’m in a lot of pain now, it’s hurting me, but I’m a fighter. I put everything on the line tonight.”

Humphries will now face Michael Smith in a heavyweight last-eight clash after the former World Champion scraped past Chris Dobey in a match packed with drama, tension, and missed opportunities.

Smith edged through 10–9 in a chaotic contest that saw 20 match darts go begging between the pair. Dobey led 5–2 early on, but Smith clawed his way back with a spectacular 164 checkout and eventually moved ahead 7–6. Dobey forced a final leg after Smith missed two match darts — but the deciding leg turned into a test of nerves, with Dobey missing 11 darts to close it out before Smith finally hit double four to seal victory.

“He kept missing and I was thankful for that,” Smith admitted. “I should never have been in that match or been in front, I should never have won, but I’ll take it. Every game I play now, they always go to last legs, and I hate it, it’s doing my head in. Something was on my side tonight, I’ll take it. I came to this tournament to win it and I know I’ve still got a shot. I’ve always believed I’ll win tournaments. I might not be physically fit, but mentally I’m still the same person.”

Three-time Grand Slam champion Gerwyn Price also progressed, defeating Germany’s Martin Schindler 10–6 in a match that saw both players raise their level as the contest went on. Price made a lightning-fast start, surging into a 5–1 lead, but Schindler rallied to close the gap to just one leg before the Welshman pulled clear again.

A spectacular 170 checkout from Price reignited his momentum, and he wrapped up the win with an 11-darter to secure his place in the last eight for the seventh time.

“I think that was a difficult game,” said Price. “Towards the end, I started to play a little bit better and so did he, but I was just happy to get over the winning line. This is my favourite tournament, and I always seem to do well here. With the crowd behind me now, I think I’ll do even better. I know Ricky [Evans] has been playing fantastic this year. Over the longer format, as first to 16, I think it goes in my favour a little bit as I’ve been in this situation before.”

Evans completed the evening’s quarter-final lineup with a dramatic 10–9 victory over Luke Woodhouse, marking the first time he has ever reached this stage of the competition. The fast-throwing Englishman trailed 8–5 but fought back superbly, winning five of the final six legs to snatch victory in a last-leg decider.

“I don’t think it’s hit me that I’ve won yet,” Evans said. “I always seem to win the scrappy ones. I just threw fast and they seemed to go in, and the crowd got behind me again. I think [Woodhouse] is one of the most underrated players in world darts, he is a proper darts player. It was good fun.”

The second half of Round Two concludes on Thursday evening, with defending champion Luke Littler facing emerging Dutch star Wessel Nijman in one of the most anticipated matches of the tournament.

Elsewhere, three-time champion Michael van Gerwen meets compatriot Danny Noppert in an all-Dutch showdown, while German duo Lukas Wenig and Niko Springer battle for a place in the quarter-finals. Rising star Josh Rock, who knocked out European Champion Gian van Veen earlier in the week, will face Connor Scutt, with the winner set to meet either Littler or Nijman in the last eight.

As the field narrows and the format extends, the Grand Slam is now entering its decisive stage — and with Humphries’ brilliance, Price’s pedigree, and Littler’s flair still in play, Wolverhampton’s crowd can expect fireworks all the way to Sunday’s final.

Humphries Produces Dazzling Display as Smith, Price and Evans Join Him in Grand Slam Quarter-Finals

2025 Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts

Wednesday November 12

4x Second Round

Ricky Evans 10-9 Luke Woodhouse

Gerwyn Price 10-6 Martin Schindler

Luke Humphries 10-3 Jurjen van der Velde

Michael Smith 10-9 Chris Dobey

Thursday November 13 (1900 GMT)

4x Second Round

Lukas Wenig v Niko Springer

Josh Rock v Connor Scutt

Luke Littler v Wessel Nijman

Michael van Gerwen v Danny Noppert

Friday November 14 (1900 GMT)

2x Quarter-Finals

Ricky Evans v Gerwyn Price

Luke Humphries v Michael Smith